Desert Rose, Horus Wings: An Ardeth Bay Love Story
by DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings
Summary: Not Evy sister/ Rick sister story please give it a chance It's one of my first for this movie there is not summary just read the story thank you. Ardeth/OC love story rated M.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own The Mummy or any of its characters or actors this story is a figment of my imagination. No ownership intended I ONLY own my OC and any other characters you have not seen or heard of in the movie or books. Please forgive me for grammar and spelling errors I don't have a beta for this story.**

Thoughts = 'Hello…'

Ancient Egyptian = **"Hello…"**

Dreams/ past life = _Hello…_

Talking = "Hello…"

Ra-nefer-u: most beautiful sun

Nekht: strength

-STORY STARTS-

THEBES - 1290 B.C

_ Screams fill the air as two figures run from one burning pillar to the next._

"_**I will not let you stay here, the Pharaoh is dead and you must run. You are the only daughter left from the dead king. Your sister fell to her death tonight to warn the Medjai of your father's death. I won't let you die as well."**__ The man's deep voice strained with stress and worry as he and a young woman ran for the stable gates, the palace ablaze and people screaming and running about. The palace guards and the Pharaoh's bodyguards could be heard coming near as they looked for their Chieftain._

_**"No I cannot; leave my brother is too young to rule Egypt, and I will not let my father's murder go unpunished. I will find who did this and bring justice." **__The woman yells, swinging around to face the Chieftain. Her deep green hazel eyes a light in ablaze by the hidden anger and the light of the growing flames. __**"You may be my protector and the Medjai Chieftain but I cannot leave here. They need me, and my brother is not safe…"**__ Her voice faded as she looked back at the fires in the palace courtyard._

_** "You must, Princess" "I was ordered to protect you, and by the gods, I will; I will carry you on my back if I have to." "I just want you to be safe; your brother is being placed in the care of another guard and taken to a safe house already. So please stop being so stubborn and let me get you to safety." **__The man cut her off from running into the flames. He grabbed on to the princess, picked her up and ran the rest of the way. He stopped at the black stallion that waited ready for them in the royal stables. He looked over the horse, and did a last minute check on the saddle before he changed the position of the woman in his arms. _

_**"Put me down Nekht! I order you to put me…uh!" **__Nekht drops her on the back of the horse and climbs on himself, snapping the reins with a yell they take off towards the desert. Ra-nefer-u looks back at the burning palace as she holds tightly onto the man's waist with tears in her eyes. Another horse's whine can be heard in the distance as they get further and further away from the city. Nekht looks back and curses as the high priest's priest follow them. He ergs his horse to go faster as the others following them gain speed. The princess looks back and gasp as one of the men take out a bow and arrow. _

_**"Nekht, go faster! LOOK OUT!"**__ She yells out as she turns back around to face the Chieftain, an arrow just barely missing her head. She cries out as it passes; the hove beats getting closer as they make their way through the desert. A thwack is heard as another arrow is released. Ra-nefer-u gives a short scream as the arrow makes contact with her lower back. She slumps to the side before falling from the horse's back._

_**"Ra-nefer-u!" **__Nekht yells out as he reaches to catch her put fails as she tumbles to the sand, the priest's arrows still soaring through the air. He slows the horse to a sudden stop jumping off and running to the fallen princess. He slowly lifts her up and checks her pulse. It is slow and faint; he gives a strangled yell of frustration. The young woman moans and cries out in pain; hot flashes of white cloud her vision as the pain worsens as she tries to move. Nekht shushed her and looked at the wound, the arrow was broken off half way from her fall and stuck further into her skin deep and bleeding profoundly. _

_**"Don't try to move your highness you are hurt very badly." **__He looked up to see that the priest had turned back their horses and road off into the distance._

_** "N-Nekht it hurts s-so much p-please… make the pain g-go away p-please…" **__Ra-nefer-us' voice barely over a whisper as the pain over takes her body her long black hair and desert sand stained with her crimson blood, her light caramel skin drained of color to a pale ashen hew. The princess drew in a slow shuttering breath before coughing up a bubble of blood Nekht could only watch as it trickled down her chin. His body Nekht with grief and worry he knew his princess would die just as her sister did and their father as well, and all that would be left is the former kings only son. The burning fires of the city were too far away to get help from and they were not even half way to the Medjai hide out, she would die before they even reached the gates. He pulled her hair from her face and rubbed her brow trying to sooth her in the last minutes she had to live._

_**"It will be ok soon princess I will find help just hold on until then, please I cannot lose you as well." **__He gave her these reassuring words knowing he could not save her._

_**"Nekht… please don't give me false hope, I know that I will die soon. J-just please tell my brother that I love him and I want you to promise me that you will protect him. Can you do that for me?" "I wish I had more time to tell you all the things I wanted to say, but I thank you for being my protector for all of these years." **__Ra-nefer-u fought to keep her eyes open as the world started to fade to black. _

_**"I… never told you… that… I always cared…for… you…" **__Her voice faded as the darkness took her. Anubis had claimed her and called her to be with Osiris. On her lips was a smile with her last breath she thought of her mother and if she would see her sister and father again in the afterlife. Nekht gave a cry of sorrow that could shake the earth, not only could he not protect her but he could not respond to her confession. For he had loved her since the day he was assigned to protect her but his duty and honor as Chieftain kept him from telling and showing her these feelings so he locked them away tightly never to be explored. But now as he sit in the sand he wept for a love lost and promised her that he would protect the young prince and that he would remember his greatest failure in life was that he could not protect her. _

_ As he carried her body back to the safe house he became calm and cold to the world around him, and when all had calmed in Thebes and the funerals of the two princesses and old Pharaoh had occurred he did not stop search for the killers until all the priest of Imhotep were condemned to death and Imhotep suffering the Hom-Dai. Were the Medjai have kept watch and protected the burial site to keep him from rising again._

**I hope you enjoyed reading that please rate and review so that I will update faster.**

**As always I am your faithful writer and servant look for my next update by the end of next week, until then…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**

**RATE and REVIEW PLEASE!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know I am so very sorry for not updating for like months on end but college has been crazy along with me taking up Music for a major and deciding wither or not to double major in Textile Fashion and Design I have been very busy with finals and just got off for break. And my brother getting shipped off to another country in the army and a major case of writers block things have been hectic but I'm back and I am going to try my hardest to update more often. Again I apologize for my absents**

**I would like to thank everyone who reads and reviews this story I really appreciate it and it's what keeps this story going. You guys are awesome.**

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own The Mummy or any of its characters or actors this story is a figment of my imagination. No ownership intended I ONLY own my OC and any other characters not in the movies or books. Please forgive me for grammar and spelling errors I don't have a beta for this story.**

**AN: Also sorry I got the year wrong for the previous chapter it was 1290 B.C. not 2134 B.C. one is from the movie and one is from when the real Pharaoh Seti I actually ruled.**

Thoughts = 'Hello…'

Ancient Egyptian/ French/ Egyptian Arabic = **"Hello…" (Translation)**

Dreams/ past life = _Hello…_

Talking = "Hello…"

Mawat – Mother

Dajat- Father

**- Story Starts -**

**Valley of the Kings – 1923**

My eyes flashed open as the desert sun glared through my tent curtain. _'Ugh, that dream again…' _I groaned as I rolled out of my bedroll and looked around my small tent. The sounds of the waking camp could be heard, the desert coming to life from its nighttime slumber. Today was the fourth day of our excavation of King Seti I's tomb. My grandfather had decided to leave France, and come to Egypt to look for the lost tomb of King Seti I and the city of Hamunaptra; dragging me along to translate for him the ancient writings; even against my objections of Hamunaptra's questionable history. We were a long ways away from our Cairo hotel, in the Valley of Kings. So far we had found the tomb's entrance but had not been able to break into the first chamber. Today I would be translating the hieroglyphics on the front wall, next to the tomb's door.

I walked to the trunk in the corner of the tent and pulled out my white cotton shirt, a pair of deep brown pants, and my brown boots. I changed out of my white night shift and pulled on my boots walking over to the bowl of water on the small table. I pulled my long, almost black hair away from my face, and splashed a bit of water onto my caramel brown skin. Then I glanced up at the mirror to see my deep green hazel eyes staring back at me. My eyes had held the interest of many; I got them from my mother. You see my father was of Egyptian/Nubian descent and my mother was French. I walked out of the tent ready for another day of work.

"Grandfather, the diggers have broken through the first door and they are working on the final door." The aged pale man turned from his maps and papers to look at his granddaughter. Jean De Lune was a tall and thin man about in his late 70s, with grey hair and green eyes and still enjoyed going on excavations.

"Ah! My dear Belle, thank you for reminding me about the door… this old brain does not remember things very well anymore. But that's why I have you here to help me in my old age." He chuckled lightly as he walked over to Belle and embraced her.

Belle had always loved this about her grandfather, he was a kind man with a sense of humor; always looking on the bright side of things. Her parents had died when she was but a child. Her grandfather was the only family she had left; for she was an only child and had no aunts or uncles. Belle Celestia Sanura Amera was very curious and stubborn. As a child her parents would often find her in the historical museum looking through the ancient Egypt exhibit, reading about the old legends and curses. She would spend hours there. Her mother, Angelique Alice De Lune Amera would smile at her love for Egypt… just as she herself had fallen in love with it. That was how she meet Belle's father, Maahes Amera, while on a trip to Egypt to study art. They had met when Angelique was out shopping for paints and lost her way back to the hotel and was surprised by muggers. Maahes was walking back from work at his father's fabric store and saved her. From then on they would meet and get to know each other. Eventually, he left with her back to France where she introduced him to her father. They were married, later having Belle. But eleven years after that, they died in a car accident. Now, ten years after their death, the 21 year old travels the world and returns to the place where her parents first met to study Egyptology.

"Grandfather, why are we going to Hamunaptra? I thought that place was just a myth." I asked as we walked through the dig sight. We had gotten into the inner chamber of the tomb and found many different artifacts that would, after being studied, be placed in the Cairo Museum.

"An old friend of mine once spoke about there being a book of great value there, the Book of Amun Ra. I want to see if he was right about its resting place. He had always had the same love for Egypt like I did; God rest his soul." Jean spoke about his late friend missing him on this adventure.

"I'm sorry Grandfather. What was his name, if you don't mind my asking?" I hoped I was not upsetting him by making him remember his dear friend.

"Oh child, no harm done," he chuckled. "His name was Howard Carnahan; you know he loved Egypt so much that he married an Egyptian woman just like your mother married your father. Oh how I miss the old chap! sadly he and his wife died in a plane crash many years ago. Though I do know that he had two children… they should be about your age now, his daughter at least. Her name, if I am remembering correctly, is Evelyn. And her older brother Jonathan, I think. Though I never did get to meet them; and I lost contact with the family after Howard and his wife died." Jean had many fond memories of his dear friend and would keep them close to his heart.

I was surprised at this information. Not only about the Book of Amun Ra being in Hamunaptra for I had a deep interest in finding it, I had read about it and its brother, the Book of the Dead. Ever since I was a child I had wondered about where they might be. But to also find out that Grandfather knew the man that had found the burial chamber of Tutankhamen. What a find it must have been…

As the sun began its journey below the horizon we began to pack up our tools and the many findings and make our way back to camp for the night. One of the workers made dinner over a fire as they all sat around talking of the day and what was to come tomorrow. I sat in my tent with a lamp as my only light pouring over books and looking at different trinkets and tablets that were found today in the tomb. I was examining a dusty tablet trying to decipher the third line when I first heard it. The sound of muffled hoof beats against the sand. And then the gunshots started. That's when I realized, the camp was under attack. _Oh no Grandfather!_

**So what do you think? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know cliffhanger right. Sorry but writers block sucks and it makes it that much more exciting. Hope you liked it please rate, comment, and favorite my story and feedback is totally welcomed and it helps me work faster to get the next one out! Also its 4AM and I still can't sleep so yeah this is what I do when I can't sleep but I got to go to bed Good night all!**

**Well until next time… DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again my faithful readers I would like to a first and foremost thank all of my readers and reviewers for sticking with me on this story it really means a lot to me and its what's keeping me going. I would also like to apologize for my absents I had a death in the family that made me depressed. I am doing my best to continue this Mummy series which I plan to make full blown sequels once everything is up and running but one step at a time LOL. I hope you all had a good holiday and that you will enjoy this next chapter!**

**Have fun!**

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own The Mummy or any of its characters or actors this story is a figment of my imagination. No ownership intended I ONLY own my OC and any other characters not in the movies or books. Please forgive me for grammar and spelling errors I don't have a beta for this story.**

**I will eventually start using French/Arabic/ and Egyptian in my story as soon as I get my lessons in order so translations will be available soon!**

Thoughts = '_Hello…_'

Ancient Egyptian/ French/ Egyptian Arabic = _**"Hello…" (Translation)**_

Dreams/ past life = _Hello…_

Talking = "Hello…"

Ra-nefer-u: most beautiful sun

Nekht: strength

Mawat/Umm – Mother

Dajat/Abu – Father

Sayyid – Lord, Master

Sayyida – Lady, Mistress

**: Recap:**

As the sun began its journey below the horizon we began to pack up or tools and the many ancient findings and make our way back to camp for the night. One of the workers made dinner over a fire as we all sat around talking of the day and what was to come tomorrow, I sat in my tent with a lamp as my only light pouring over books and looking at different trinkets and tablets that were found today in the tomb. I was examining a dusty tablet trying to decipher the third line when I first heard it. The sound of muffled hoof beats against the sand then the gun shots started. That's when I realized, the camp was under attack. _Oh no Grandfather!_

**-STORY STARTS-**

**AMBUSHED**

"Grand-père!" I yell out as I dash out of my tent. All around me there was chaos people yelling and running about, the horses that we had with us scatter like a herd of sheep running from a wolf. The horsemen shooting and burning as they go setting fire to the tents and cutting down diggers and workmen with their scimitars even some of the men we had for protection were cut down. I looked around frantically for my grandfather running over to his tent which was not but a few yards away from mine. "Grand-père! Where are you?!" I opened the tent flap to find nothing. Where could he be I heard a sudden yell from outside the tent. Rushing out I see my grandfather fall to the ground having tripped over a clay pot that lay next to the fire. "Grandfather! Look out!" A man clocked in deep colors of brown, green, and black road on horseback towards the elderly man. As my grandfather turned around to see the man raise his sword I glance around me seeing a scimitar that had been dropped from one of the attackers belt hoping to go unnoticed I quickly pick it up and block the man's swing at my grandfather, the horse leaping over him and to the side of me. "You will not touch him!" Where my sudden braveness came from I do not know but I did not question it at the moment.

The man laughed as he turned to face me getting off his horse and circling me like a bird does it's pray. His face covered by a cloth only his dark eyes are visible a hint of malice and greed could be seen in those eyes of his. I knew then that he was no more than a desert thief and a murder. My grandfather was now back on his feet standing not too far behind me watched with wide eyes as the man raise his sword and the fighting began. He raised his sword and brought it down towards my left side I quickly blocked it and strike out at his chest as he jumps back to dodge my attack. We exchange blows back and forth, I was glad that I took those fencing classes in my early school years. The thief's man started to stand around to watch jeering and laughing at me as their leader became more viscous with his swings and my arms began to weaken. Soon the sword was knocked from my hands I turn back to have him slash me on my arm and his scimitar to my neck.

"Though you would win did you not little one hmm?" The man cackled a harsh laugh along with his men. One of his men grabbed me and threw me down next to my grandfather who wrapped me up in his arms as if to protect me from the cruel laughter around me. The leader stared down at me a cool calm smirk on his face as if he had found a treasure and a very rich one at that. "He-he you're a nice one aren't you. A beauty this one is. Hahaha!" He laughed as he licked his dry lips his smile crocked and yellow.

"What do you want?" I yelled wanting nothing more than to slap the grin off his face as he laughed even more. Why had they picked us to rob and plunder? Had we just went too far out in the desert to be closer to the dig sit? I wanted to grab my grandfather and run off into the desert but I knew we would not get very far either they would capture us like they were already trying to do or the desert would kill us if they didn't first. I look over to my grandfather and he looked back at me he tried to look strong for me but I could see the fear in his eyes that he had for us. I knew that in his old age he would not be able to fight them off. Would it be best to give in? Could I give in…? No. I will not back down; I will not be a slave to these men. I will not let my grandfather die here! I shot up out of my grandfather's hold and ran at the man.

"Belle!" Jean yelled out as I caught the man by surprised and knocked him to the ground and ran for the sword again… I never reached it the man grabbed me again back slapping me in the jaw, blood spurted from my mouth as he turned me around and held my back against his chest. Suddenly the man yells out in Arabic so fast I could not catch it but I didn't have to when two men pulled my grandfather from the ground as the man to his left put his scimitar to his throat. I stilled my struggling.

"You will pay for that with the old man's life."

"No! Please don't I'm sorry."

"I don't think so." He raises his hand to give the man a signal.

"No, please! Take me! Just don't kill him! Please!" I beg as I look at my grandfather he just shakes his head.

"I don't think so. I will just kill him take you anyway." His had falls and the man raises his sword again. "Any last words say them now that is my only _kindness_ to you." I struggle even more in his grip.

"Belle? Belle! Listen to me I have lived my life I am proud of you and never forget I love you my dear girl." He smiles at me one last time as the sword is brought down and strikes true.

"NO!" I scream as my grandfathers body falls to the ground. I can only stare in shock and pain '_WHY? WHY WAS THIS HAPPENING!?' _I could not felt the tears running down my face nor could I feel the man's grip change around me, only when he started to lift me from the ground did I awake from my on pain.

"No! Let me go, let me go! No!" I screamed out as he swung me onto his shoulder. I kicked and beat my fist on his back but his hold only tightened to a painful grip.

"Stop that! No one can hear you we are in the desert!" He swatted me on the butt and readjusted his grip on my legs so I could not move them. Turning to his men he called them all to grab all that they could hold laughing loudly and started towards the horses. He handed me off to one of his men. **"**_**Yalla beena!** __**(Let's go!-Egyptian Arabic)"**_

"Let me go!"

"Will someone shut her up, her screams are getting on my last nerve!" The leader yelled out.

"With pleasure, Master Asad." The man holding me said I was lifted onto the horse he grinned at me as he lifted his hand I felt a sharp pain to the back of my head then nothing. Darkness surrounded my conscious then I drifted my only thoughts of my grandfather. He would be alive now if we had never come to Egypt.

**Well that's it for this chapter folks. Hope you enjoyed it. The next one should be out next month finals are coming up and my brother is back from Kuwait so I'm hanging with him but I am writing and it will be out soon. Sorry for the wait until then…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own The Mummy or any of its characters or actors this story is a figment of my imagination. No ownership intended I ONLY own my OC and any other characters not in the movies or books. Please forgive me for grammar and spelling errors I don't have a beta for this story.**

**I will eventually start using French/Arabic/ and Egyptian in my story as soon as I get my lessons in order so translations will be available soon!**

Thoughts = '_Hello…_'

Ancient Egyptian/ French/ Egyptian Arabic = **"Hello…" (Translation)**

Dreams/ past life = _Hello…_

Talking = "Hello…"

Ra-nefer-u: most beautiful sun

Nekht: strength

Mawat/Ume – Mother

Dajat/Abu – Father

Sayyid – Lord, Master

Sayyida – Lady, Mistress

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>Chapter 4 - Dreams of A past Long Forgotten<strong>_

**- Belle's Dream-**

**THEBES 2134 B.C.**

"_**Thebes. City of the Living. Crown**_

_**Jewel of Pharaoh Seti the First.**_

_**Home of Imhotep, High Priest of**_

_**Osiris, Keeper of the Dead.**_

_**Birthplace of Anck-su-namun.**_

_**Pharaoh's Mistress.**_

_**No other man was allowed to touch her.**_

_**But for their love, they were willing to risk life itself."**_

_ Imhotep stepped forward onto the dais to the right side of Pharaoh's throne next but slightly behind Pharaoh Seti I. Next to the Pharaoh on his left hand side sat his youngest daughter the Princess Ra-nefer-u. The young princess looked up at her father her deep green-hazel eyes boring into his standing out against her darker caramel-toned skin than that of her fathers' olive-toned skin for her mother Princess-Queen Tawaret was his second wife after his first Great Royal Wife died; was from lands further south of Egypt but had long since passed when Ra-nefer-u was but a little girl. Now a young woman with long dark hair she was a beauty as bright as the sun and stars. She smiled to her father in greeting before their gazes shifted to the room before them. _

_ The floor in front of them was left open and empty except for the two women standing in the middle of the room both back to back holding Sais prepared to duel. One was the eldest and firstborn daughter to the king and the long passed Great Royal Wife Queen Tuya, older half-sister to Ra-nefer-u the beautiful and dignified Princess Nefertiri her blue eyes flashed with determination against her pale olive skin ready to began the fight. The other woman a strange and mystic beauty the Pharaoh's Mistress Anck-su-namun the only other woman he has taken to wed after the passing of his first two wives. Some believe she is not to be trusted by the Pharaoh and sees the power she holds over him and not a good one. The Pharaoh Seti had 5 children His only son Crown Prince Ramesses II age 13, Princess Tia age 23 married to Tia and lives outside of the main palace, Princess Nefertiri age 26, Princess Ra-nefer-u age 19, and Princess Henutmire age 10. _**(AN: Yes I know that Pharaoh Seti I only had three children Ramesses II, Tia, and supposedly Henutmire. He was also only married to Queen Tuya)**_ He loved all his children. But his little Ra-nefer-u was his pride and joy, his favorite among his children. The others did not mind they loved her and their father all the same._

_The Pharaoh called the fight to begin. The two beautiful young women fought, with the two men and young princess watching them. At the end of the fight, the winner was Anck-su-namun. _

_**"Nefertiri, you are stronger this time. Maybe one day, you will win."**__ Nefertiri gave Anck-su-namun a fake smile to please her father although she disliked the woman she would not disrespect her father._

_**"Thank you, Anck-su-namun. You can teach me many things when you are my mother," **__said Nefertiri. She was the Pharaoh's daughter, and Anck-su-namun was his future wife._

_**"Wonderful! Wonderful!"**__ cried the Pharaoh. __**"Ah! Two strong, beautiful women! My daughter can guard the Bracelet of Anubis for me, and my future wife can guard me."**__ He smiled at the women and hugging his daughter, but Anck-su-namun did not smile at the Pharaoh. Her smiles were for Imhotep, her future husband's friend and King of the Dead. Nefertiri saw this and hated Anck-su-namun and Imhotep, the Princess Ra-nefer-u saw this as well and shared her sisters' feelings she would have to keep an eye on the two of them. _

_**Ra-nefer-u POV**_

_ Many days later __**"Princess Ra-nefer-u"**__ I turn from my dressing mirror to see my maid standing in the doorway bowed with Nekht, my personal guard that my father assigned to me when I was 10 years old and he was 15 announcing his arrival. Now a young man of 24 years of age was now the leader of the tribe of Medjai my fathers' royal bodyguards he was 6'1" tall with black hair and deep brown eyes his skin a golden tan from the Egyptian sun, his tattoos shown in the dull light of my chamber. I can remember the day we meet like it was yesterday…_

* * *

><p><em><strong>***Scene shifts***<strong>_

_** "My dearest little one, you are my pride and joy and I want you to be well protected so I am assigning a new bodyguard to you in hopes that no harm would ever befall you. For you are special and blessed by the goddesses Isis, Hathor, and Bastet. Your sister although destined one day to protect the Bracelet of Anubis you my dear are to one day house the power and gifts of these three goddesses for you were blessed at your birth by them and it was prophesized that one day you would use them to protect Egypt from a great evil I know not if it is in this life or the next but it is dire that you have a guard." **__I look up at my father in slight worry but understanding for many things could be dangerous to a person who is a member of the royal family and for one that holds such a destiny needs to be kept safe. Father gestured for the guards to send someone in. A young teenage boy walked in with purpose in his step he bowed down humbly to the king and his young daughter. __**"My little one this is Nekht, he is to keep you safe and guard you from harm at all cost."**__ The young teen stood up and looked at the young princess and his king a slight smirk on his face as he meets the princess's gaze._

_**"But father he is so young,"**__ I look at the boy with slight doubt and curiosity __**"Can he fight?"**__ The Pharaoh chuckled and Nekhts' smirk turned into a slightly insulted frown._

_**"Oh my daughter I would not have chosen him out of 15 other men twice his age if he could not fight well enough to protect you, he is also to become your friend as well for when I am not here and on army campaigns." **_

_**"I promise to protect you with everything I have princess down to the last breath in my body."**__ Nekht bowed once more to the princess and Pharaoh. Ra-nefer-u gazes at him seeing him to be true to his word she turns to her father and nods. _

_**"I believe we will be great friends."**__ Nekht smiles and nods his head in agreement._

* * *

><p><em><strong>*** Ra-nefer-u POV***<strong>_

_**"What is it Nekht?"**__ I ask standing to greet him my beaded dress flowing around my ankles; I motion for my maid to leave the room. He walks further into the room looking around at the candle light that gave a soft glow to the room his gaze returns to me. _

_**"I wanted to see how you were doing. I can see how you react to your fathers' choice for wife. You do not trust her."**__ It was more of a statement then a question but I answered in kind._

_**"No, I don't trust her with my father nor do I trust that high priest of his. I see the way they look at one another it's almost as if…" **__I did not finish my sentence I could not think that such feelings could exists between the two for __Anck-su-namun was my fathers' mistress no one was to touch her._

_**"As if what? I know that this is not all that is troubling you. I hear that your father is sending out invitation for suitors for you to marry… I am to help oversee this process to protect you from any harm that could come from those that would enter the palace unannounced during that time. Princess-"**__ I frown and cut him off forgetting about my fathers' priest and mistress._

_**"Stop calling me that you are my friend not my servant, and I will not see any of these so called suitors not even one. I am not a prize to be won or auctioned off to the highest bidder, father should know that I am opposed to the whole idea of this but he is forever looking for my happiness and that of all his children. I want to marry the one I love not some stranger that is not even from Egyptian soil!"**__ Nekht still had a calm expression through my rant he knows of my views about this arranged marriage that my father is trying to place upon me along with my sister._

_**"And who is the one you love that you would risk your father finding out and ending it all together?"**__ There was something in his voice that confused me I detected a hint of jealousy or suspicion for this unknown person. It was almost amusing_

_**"It is no one I just want my father to know that I want to marry for love, not for political reasons." **__We stare at one another for what seemed like hours but was only a few seconds before I turned away heading for the balcony curtains and walked to the railing looking out into the dessert and around the palace. Nekht follows and stands a few steps behind me. _

_**"I will ask you again. What is your suspicion of the high priest and the Pharaohs new wife to be?" **_

_**"I fear that they have feelings for each other that should not be since they both should know there place in this palace and in court. I fear for my fathers' safety and I do not trust that Anck-su-namun will not protect him but hurt him." **__I hear a noise to my left and see my sister step out onto her balcony for our rooms are next to each other. She does not see me for her gaze is else where I follow her gaze and see the high priest Imhotep in my fathers' chambers._

_**"What is he doing there?"**__ I ask Nekht he shakes his head and we both look on as the doors open to reveal Anck-su-namun slender form stride into the room. My sister and I gasp in shock as Imhotep and Anck-su-namun embrace each other and kiss. I turn away not able to look anymore but a sudden cry for help from the Medjai coming from Nefertiri makes me look back to see my father now in the room with Anck-su-namun and Imhotep nowhere to be seen. A sudden flash of a blade shines in the dull moonlight as Imhotep steps from the shadows and I can only look on in horror and shock as they stab my father to death. I suddenly find myself in Nekhts' arms my face hidden in his chest. A scream rips me from Nekhts' shielding embrace to see my sister falling over her balcony to her death below I cry out and race to her balcony to try and grab her but it is too late as I am pulled back to Nekht and into my room away from the scenes of the deaths of my family members. _

_**"Nefer, look at me… LOOK AT ME AND LISTEN!"**__ Nekht yells through my tearful cries I look into his eyes and see the pain that I feel reflected in them, a sudden banging on the doors pulls us from our gaze it was Imhotep priest trying to get in. __**"We must leave I must get you to safety!"**__ He pulls me along as we run through my chamber to a secret passage tucked away behind a tapestry hanging I trip over a low table with lit candles the rich rugs beneath my feet alight with flam from the fire and a blaze spreads around the room I scream as I am pulled to my feet away from the flames by Nekht and into the passage way. We make our way out of the burning palace and to the stables…_

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><p><strong>Cliffhanger! Sorry this chapter is so short it's six pages in Microsoft Word. I hope that you enjoyed this one and you will forgive me for taking so long to update. I'm college student you know! Well I hope to update again soon please look forward to it until then…<strong>

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone I am so sorry for the delay with finals and everything I am done for the semester and I am looking forward to updating more often I hope you like this one even if it's a filler chapter, well enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own The Mummy or any of its characters or actors this story is a figment of my imagination. No ownership intended I ONLY own my OC and any other characters not in the movies or books. Please forgive me for grammar and spelling errors I don't have a beta for this story. I'm trying to get one but I don't know how.**

**I will eventually start using French/Arabic/ and Egyptian in my story as soon as I get my lessons in order so translations will be available soon!**

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><p><strong>::Recap 1::<strong>

"NO!" I scream as my grandfathers body falls to the ground. I can only stare in shock and pain '_WHY? WHY WAS THIS HAPPENING!?' _I could not felt the tears running down my face nor could I feel the man's grip change around me, only when he started to lift me from the ground did I awake from my own pain.

"No! Let me go, let me go! No!" I screamed out as he swung me onto his shoulder. I kicked and beat my fist on his back but his hold only tightened to a painful grip.

"Stop that! No one can hear you we are in the desert!" He swatted me on the butt and readjusted his grip on my legs so I could not move them. Turning to his men he called them all to grab all that they could hold laughing loudly and started towards the horses. He handed me off to one of his men. "_Yalla beena! __**(Let's go!-Egyptian Arabic)"**_

"Let me go!"

"Will someone shut her up, her screams are getting on my last nerve!" The leader yelled out.

"With pleasure, Master Asad." The man holding me said I was lifted onto the horse he grinned at me as he lifted his hand I felt a sharp pain to the back of my head then nothing. Darkness surrounded my conscious then I drifted my only thoughts of my grandfather. He would be alive now if we had never come to Egypt.

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><p><strong>::Recap 2::<strong>

"_**We must leave I must get you to safety!"**__ He pulls me along as we run through my chamber to a secret passage tucked away behind a tapestry hanging I trip over a low table with lit candles the rich rugs beneath my feet alight with flam from the fire and a blaze spreads around the room I scream as I am pulled to my feet away from the flames by Nekht and into the passage way. We make our way out of the burning palace and to the stables…_

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><p>-Story Starts-<p>

_**Chapter 5 – Life in Captivity**_

"Get up!" I am jolted awake with a kick by Haidar, Asad's right hand man. I had been having this same reoccurring dream for the past week that I have been in captivity of Asad and his men the closer we got to Hamunaptra. I awoke the first day with my throat as dry as the desert sand and the sun beating down on my face. It was midday and the hottest part of the day I could feel the movements of the horse beneath my stomach as we galloped further into the desert. Asad and his men started to break down camp I sat up from laying on the sand; Haidar yanked me up from my spot and dragged me to the horses. I pulled against his grip and turned to Asad and shouted as I was pulled onto the horse.

"Why are you doing this? What is it that you want from me!? Why must you keep me against my will?" I could already feel the glare and heat from the sun on my head as I stared at my capturer he only laughed once more and call the men to move. I had asked him this question every day since I was taken and got the same response each time, it was rather annoying.

The hours passed we had only stopped once to get more water and to eat at an oasis I was only offered flat bread and water. We road for hours and as we got to the top of a sand dune I could see a small clustering of huge tents near an oasis to the far left side of the encampment to the far of distance about a few hours ride I could just make out some kind of ruins of a temple maybe I was not sure as the daylight began to become a sunset of blazing orange and red fire. We road into the camp all around I could see men some diggers others desert bandits and oddly enough a few Americans. _What are they doing so far into the desert unless…? Are they joining them to look for Hamunaptra as well? But why do they need me? _I was pulled from my thoughts by Haidar pulling me from the horse and shoving me to the ground the men around him laughing as I tried to stand but failed as I had not eaten anything since we stopped at the oasis and from riding most of the day I was tired but I was not going to let them treat me anyway that they wanted to. Since I could not stand just yet I turned to punch Haidar where it really hurts to shut him up. That got him to be stop laughing he kneeled to the ground holding his groin moaning in pain. The other men around him laughed harder at their comrade's pain. I smirked and got ready to punch him in the eye when Asad grabbed my wrist and yanked me from the ground and away from Haidar. I turned and lashed out trying to hit him with an elbow to the stomach but he twisted my arm behind my back and wrapped his other arm around my neck holding me against him leaving me without movement. I grow tired in my struggling and sagged against him.

"There it is! That fire in you my dear that I so did miss on the way here." He growled into my ear before handing me to one of the American men. "Tie her up. And make sure you keep an eye on her I don't want her getting loose before we get to the ruins." The American a fat brown haired man nodded and took me to one of the smaller tents in the back of the encampment there he tied me to one of the main wooden poles holding the tent up. The man stepped outside the tent and I was left alone. The tent was very bare the only thing in the room was a small clay pot and a ragged blanket. It had become night in the vast Sahara and for the first time in a week did I let myself cry for not only my grandfather but also myself. I knew there was no hope for rescue. Those that would have known about the whereabouts of me and my grandfather were all killed in the ambush and the only other people who would know is the crater of the museum as we were to bring the things we found in the tomb to the museum to be put in an exhibit but he knew not to expect us until another three or four weeks so. I knew no one would come looking for me, I would die out here in this desert and no one would know. I shifted into a comfortable position and before I fell asleep I prayed to any god that would hear me to free me from this captivity.

That next day Asad was gathering some men to come with him into the city ruins turns out they had found Hamunaptra after all. One of the Americans had let it slip when they were changing watches; their reason hoping to find treasure. The tent flap opened and in stepped Haidar looking still not happy about what I did yesterday but I couldn't care less. He untied me from the post and retied my wrist with the rope and took me outside. The horses were once more ready for the journey ahead Haidar went to place me on his horse when Asad stopped him and pulled me to his placing me in front of him taking the reins. "Can't have a repeat of yesterday now can we? Besides I need you alive for the ritual and I can't have Haidar killing you now can I?" He said to me before laughing wickedly and calling out for his men to follow as we made our way to the ruins, to Hamunaptra. _Wait he said a ritual… he needs me for a ritual… no... He can't mean-… a sacrifice that's it! He wants to use me as a sacrifice but why what could that mean for him? What would he get from it? Oh grandfather I wish we had never come to this God forsaken desert._

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><p><strong>Well that's it you guys sorry it's so short this is more of a filler chapter than anything I just got out for the semester so I should be able to update more often in between looking for a summer job. Well until next time…<strong>

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	6. Authors Note

Hey sorry guys but I just wanted, _had_ to write this… I don't like flames and hurtful criticism I like _constructive criticism_ but when you say that my story is pathetic it really hurtful and gets on my nerves. This '**reika88**' person who is an anonymous reviewer who I notice talks about a lot of peoples stories and flames them it does not help the creative vibes of a person. I would appreciate it if you did not review anymore. I don't want to disable the anonymous reviewers thing I like having anyone review even if they don't have an account on this sight I like reviews any review if it is good criticism and constructive criticism I like reading them it helps me write and write better but I don't like flames they don't help they just hurt. So I just wanted to get that off my chest I will not disable the anonymous reviewers but I will say absolutely_** NO**_ flames, thank you. Anyway on to other things the next chapter should be out soon it might be short it might be long but it just depends on my mood and what time I have until then…

DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!


	7. Authors Note 2 - PLEASE READ

**Author's Note 2**

First I want to apologize for the long absents a lot has happened this summer break I had a resent death in the family again this time it was my great grandma that is the second death in the family this year; so yeah been in the dumps. Also between work and getting things together for the new semester at college I have been pretty busy I will be taking up a new major in Textiles Fashion Apparel and in the near future looking to transfer and take up two majors so things will get even more hectic. Second I am sorry about my little rant about **reika88** I just don't like flames I can say that we all try our very best at what we write and we are all writing **FANFICTION** it is to show our appreciation for our Fandom's. So enjoy all that you read and write because that's what this site is here for our enjoyment and to share our works now on to the story! And last but not least for this Author's Note; I have had the worse writers block for this story yet. I have been having trouble with the direction I want this story to go I have been having thoughts of rewriting it because it's turning out different than what I originally had in mind. I want to hear your ideas on either a rewrite or to continue as I have and if you guys have any ideas or things you want to see happen in the upcoming chapters. Would you like for me to bring Ardeth in early or later in this story? Do you want me to add more detail to the story? Do you want more past memory flashbacks or less? More action? I will be posting the next chapter before the end of the weekend it will most likely be a filler chapter and will be short. I hope to get the next** real **chapter out before classes start back up on the Aug 19th so be looking for those updates soon. Sorry about all the Author's Note chapters I just feel that I need to get more feedback that way. Well until then…

DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!


	8. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Mummy only my OC's if I did I'd be married to Ardeth Bay**

**I am so sorry about the delay on this chapter. This is the filler chapter and is very; very short sorry. I promise to get the next one out soon and it will be longer. **

**I made mention of my boyfriend in this chapter his name is Akil as well and for this story he is Belle's best friend in her childhood. I will say this now Belle is not me she is just a figment of my imagination. **

**So I finally have a beta-reader I am trying to have two because the one I have doesn't always have time to check my work. Along with new updates I will be re-writing the previous chapters with the editing my beta has done. So if you please would also look back at those that would be great. Well without further interruption enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6 – Family Memory's<strong>

As we made our way into the city I thought back into my life before my capture, before my grandfather's murder, before Egypt; before my parents' deaths when they were alive. I remember one of the happiest memories I have of them was the day of my 11th birthday. My parents' decided to throw me a birthday party; some of the neighboring children that live in the close vicinity were invited though I was only friends with about three of them. We had a bit of land tied to our house where we raised horses and we gave pony rides to the kids. I actually got a horse for my birthday, my parents got me a black Arabian stallion which I named Shadow. He still lives in the stables back in France but at my grandfather's manner. The day was sunny and bright with laughter and running children. My best friend Akil he is the son of our family cook who was three years older than me, he gave me a bracelet of blue and tan braided string that he made with a little stone Bastet figurine hanging from it. I still ware it everywhere I go. He is now studying in England to become a doctor.

I remember the day my parents died. It was not too long after my birthday had past that it happened. My parents had left me in the care of my grandfather while they left on their annual trip to Egypt. I could not go that year because my school started earlier that year than before. The day they drove back was cold and rainy; I remember the evening sky covered in grey and the droplets of rain water on the window pane coming down in sheets making it hard to see through the glass. My father had called from the boating docks before they made their way to us, telling me that they got back safe and could not wait to tell me the stories of their most resent journey to Egypt. I quietly and patiently waited for their return watching the rain and the streets for their car when a loud squeal of tires makes me jerk my gaze from the rain to the street. The only thing I can see out the window is two pairs of headlights before a booming crash that even put the thunder to shame. The two cars had collided with each other and a blaze had started. I was frozen in shock but seeing the car made me think of my parents my eyes widened and I took off running for the door only to be stopped by my grandfather. I struggled against his hold on me until he called for Mary my nanny to take me to my room. I remember screaming out calling out to my mother and father as she picked me up and carried me to my room. I don't remember much after that, they said I had tired myself out from crying so much and I did not eat for days after the funeral until my grandfather begged me to do so for my parents which made me cry even more but I ate just barely enough to keep me alive. Five months had passed with me in the same manner of morning for their deaths until one day my nanny sat me down.

She said to me, "Child you can't continue on in this way." "What happened to your parents is very upsetting and sad, but you must realize that even though you are in pain from their deaths; you are also hurting those that are around you that love you; especially your grandfather." She looked deep into my eyes and told me something she never said anything about to anyone; not even my parents. "You know I lost my parents too when I was young. I was just about your age as well." She smoothed my hair down and away from my face as she look at me. Mary was a woman of 38 years still young and had come to my family to be my nanny and governess at the age of 21. Most saw her as young and naive at that age and would not hire her but my parents saw something in her when she came to our door step. Determination, loyalty, and a caring person, one that they thought would be a very good nanny and teacher to their little baby daughter.

"I came from a poor family my parents died when I was young. The orphanage that I was sent to was gracious enough to me sent me to school to be a governess. Your parents where the only ones to hire me and for that I am forever grateful to them it saddens me that this happened because;" She paused, having to whip a tear from her eye. "I have come to think of all of you as my family." I never realized how much this family meant to her or how much she meant to me. She was like the aunt I never had and the one I would always go to when I was upset or in trouble. She was right about my actions. I was hurting the people around me because I was hurting myself and not letting myself heal from the emotional pain my parents' death caused. Yes it was okay to be sad and it's okay to cry but I knew that my mother and father would have wanted me to remember the good memories I had of them. I thought about this as I wrapped my arms tightly around Mary thanking her and telling her that I loved her.

I was rudely awakened from my memory induced haze to being pushed off of the horse and onto the ground. "Hey!" I exclaimed, as I rubbed my sore backside the best I could with my hands tied tight. I was once again tied up so that I could not run away. They had placed me by the statue of Anubis and tied me to the base of it. Looking around I saw that the sky was being to darken. Night would soon be upon us; tents where put up quickly in the fading light. I lay curled up against the statue as a chill fell over the camp. Asad had 'neglected' to give me a blanket for the cold night air. I shivered and folded tighter into myself wishing for a warm bath and a soft bed. With those last thoughts in my head I fell into an uneasy sleep unaware of what was about to befall the camp.

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><p><strong>Well that was it short but sweet. Thank you so much for reading I hope you enjoyed it. Please favorite and review. I hope to have the next one out soon until then…<strong>

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	9. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own The Mummy! I don't make money from this! No ownership intended I ONLY own my OC and any other characters not in the movies. Thank You!**_

_**Oh! Before I forget there is a new person POV at the beginning of this chapter… I hope you like it!**_

_**Warning: This chapter is Rated M for violence and language don't read if you don't like.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 7 – Rescue –<strong>

**Ardeth**

The Medjai Chieftain looked down from his perch upon the cliff the thirty Medjai warriors behind him shuffled around to get ready to go to the city below them. A man in dark robes walked his horse up next to the Chieftains, "Ardeth… shall I ready the men?" He asked turning his dark gaze to the Leader of the Medjai next to him.

"It is time." He said to his second in command, Laham. With a nod Laham called for the men to ready their horses. Below them the City of the Dead was in view. The fire light from the camp site below lit the city with an eerie glow causing shadows to bounce of the stone walls. With a rise of his hand and a call the warriors shrouded under the dark of night made their way into the city. The thundering of hooves and battle cries filled the air; waking the desert rats from their slumber. Along with them Belle was awakened by the sound of yelling and screaming. All around her there were men in dark clothing fighting the diggers and Asad's men. Ardeth swung his blade down striking down one of Asad's men with a yell. Another came to hit him from behind. He swung around and dodged it hitting the man in the face with the hilt of his sword and kicked his feet out from under him. He reached down and pulled the man to face him, "Why are you here?!" He asked. The man spat in his face and tried to take a swing at him and missed. Knowing he would get nothing from this man Ardeth trusted his blade into his chest puncturing his lung before returning into the fray. Ardeth was interrupted from his next prey by a scream; a woman's scream. Running to the direction of it he finds something he did not expect. Before him was a woman one that looked more native to the land but her cloths said otherwise. She was a foreigner; a French foreigner her dark hair unraveled from its tie as she brought her fist down into the face of the man she was fighting. She looked like a vengeful goddess with her eyes alight fierce with determination. The man in front of her was of a strong build and easily twice her size.

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><p><strong>Belle<strong>

I awoke to the sound of horses and screaming. Once again the camp was under attack; desert riders in dark robes wielding scimitars where taking out Asad's men left and right. _Maybe this time I can escape while they have their hands full with these guys but how do I get out of these ropes…?_I looked around for anything I could cut the ropes with but the sound of footsteps coming my way made me stop my search. Looking up I saw Haidar making his way to where I was tied up. "Time to go girl," he said cutting my ropes with a small dagger. As soon as he reached for me to pull me up I kicked him in the stomach as hard as I could and tried to grab the dagger from his hand. "You bitch!" I guess I didn't hit him hard enough as he recovered quickly from the blow and slashed at my midsection giving me a gash to my right side. I screamed out in pain and anger as I lifted my leg once again and kicked him in crotch before bringing my fist down into his face as he bent over to hold himself. Taking the small blade from where it had landed in the sand I felt a sudden surge of energy and power run through me. I could feel the hate and disgust for this man flow through my veins and with little to no care at all I brought the dagger across his neck spilling his blood onto the sand. The crimson liquid coated the golden grains in a deep red. Looking away I turned to run only to be stopped by Asad. _Damn it! _

"Thought you could go and run off after killing one of my men did you?!" He yelled as he charged me. My grip loosened on the dagger in surprise at the sudden impacted of his body hitting mine. We fell to the ground; rolling around in the sand both fighting to get the knife that had fallen from my hand oblivious to all that was around us. I lost that fight as he grabbed the dagger just as my fingertips brushed against the hilt. "It's too bad I have to kill you. I would have loved to have fun with that pretty little body of yours." He placed the knife at my throat as his hand slipped down my sides stopping at the gash and dug his nails into it. I grit my teeth against the pain as he laughed like a mad man as he watched the blood ooze and drip from the wound. "Not so tough now are you. You're just a sad little girl a long way from home. Well I'm going to enjoy watching you squeal and beg for mercy!" His yellow grin widened as he dug his nails further causing me to scream and cry out wishing the pain would stop. He raised the dagger high above him to bring it down over my heart when he suddenly stopped with a grunt of pain. His eyes were as wide as saucers as his gaze lowered to his stomach where the point of a blade was sticking out having entered from his back through his gut. I looked behind him to see a man about 6'1" clocked in dark robes of black; his face was hidden by a black cloth hanging from his headdress but his deep brown eyes were visible and burning with hate for the man on top of me. He twisted the blade and pulled it back out of my captors back. Asad looked back into my eyes as the light faded from his, he gasped sharply before falling to the side. All I can do is stare at the man before me as he whipped his blade with a red cloth and placed it back at his waist. I finally came out of my stupor when he reaches down to pull me up from the blood stained sand. I wince and pull my arm from his as I placed my hand to my side; it was still bleeding heavily and I was beginning to fell dizzy. The adrenaline rush I had earlier had melted away and all that was left was exhaustion. He placed his arms around me and held most of my weight as I swayed on my feet my legs unable to hold me up any longer. I looked up into his eyes and became calm; for some strange reason I felt safe in his arms I felt like I could trust him to keep me out of harm. "Help… me…" was all I could say before submitting to the darkness that awaited me as I fell limp in the man's arms.

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><p><strong>Ardeth<strong>

Ardeth tightened his hold on the woman as she became unconscious. He sighed as he looked around him. The fight was over and the people who posed a threat to the protection of the city were all dead and being buried; with minimum injuries to his warriors. The only thing that confused him was as to why there was a woman, a foreign woman out in the desert alone and with this group of thieves. He shook his head and resigned himself to look back on those thoughts later right know the woman needed his help and he needed to get his men back to their camp before sun up. Lifting the small woman into his arms nodding to Laham as he pasted by him to mount his horse placing the woman securely in front of him he turned to his men. Coming to ride next to his leader Laham looked at the woman in Ardeth's arms "She will need medical attention my lord." He nodded also looking down at the woman in his arms "Yes and soon. I can feel the heat of fever rise in her." He looked up at his men, "Yalla Imshi!" With a shout he and his warriors rode out into the desert night taking the woman with them.

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><p><em><strong>Word Count: 1,523 <strong>_

_**Well that's it for now guys. I hope that was long enough for you and I hope you enjoyed it. I will try to have the next one out soon. Favorite and Review until then…**_

_**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**_


	10. Chapter 8

_**Hello readers sorry for the wait college finals and all. I'm out for Christmas break so here is the new chapter I promised. I wanted this out for New Year's. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I have No ownership of The Mummy except for the DVD's and my own OC's **_

_**Warning: This chapter is Rated M for violence and language don't read if you don't like.**_

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><p><span><strong>- Chapter 8 – Meeting the Medjai<strong>

Ardeth's men cast curious glances at the young woman that lay in the tent on the far end of the camp. The night had long turned into day and the sun was once again at its lowest point in the sky. The small oasis that they made as a rest point the night before had given the group of men shade from the burning heat of the day and water for the horses. The tent was nothing but a drape of heavy cloth over wooden poles stuck in the sand; it wasn't much but it provided shade and kept the sun from burning the woman's skin. Ardeth had tended to the girls wounds and wrapped them to keep the area free of sand and dirt. She had yet to wake and Ardeth began to worry when she developed a fever later that morning. Laham looked over at his Chieftain place another cool cloth onto the girl's forehead after bringing it across her face and neck to cool her skin down. He had been at it since mid-morning and she seemed to be getting worse by the minute. Laham shook his head and made his was over to the tent where his Lord sat next to the woman's head.

"Any change My Lord?" he asked; lifting the once cool bowl of water now warm from the desert heat. The Chieftain sighed and looked down at the woman unconscious before him.

"No Laham. She seems to be getting worse and I can't get her fever to lessen." He moved from the tent with Laham right behind him; taking the bowl from him he made his way to the still waters of the oasis. His mind drifted to the previous night's events. _What was she doing there? And why was she in the desert in the first place? _He stud back up the bowl once again filled with the cool water. He looked down into the water with a frown. If he wanted her to get better he would have to take her to see a doctor in the city. They were too far away to reach the tribe and she would not last long in this heat. The woman fell in and out of consciousness throughout the night and day she had been with them only conscious long enough to be given water. He often heard her mumbling in her fevered sleep in a language he did not know but had heard being spoken in the city. She now lay in a fitful sleep with the fever raging in her rising and him being no healer; know not what to do to help her.

Walking back into the tent he was surprised to see her conscious once again her eyes glazed over with fever and pain from the wound at her side. She tried to sit up but only to fall back onto the blankets that she lay upon.

"Stay down. You're injured and you have a very high fever." She blinked and looked around the tent, outside it at the men moving around camp, and then back to Ardeth. She opened her mouth to speak but could only cough; her body shaking with each dry rasp of breath as she tried to clear her airways. Ardeth helped her to sit up and rubbed her back to ease her breathing. He took a small bowl and dipped it into the water and handed it to her to drink when the coughs subsided. The woman breathed a sigh as he helped her to lie back down.

"Thank you for saving me and helping me," She said in a soft voice full of gratitude. "If you do not mind me asking what is your name and where I am?"

He answered her as she slowly slipped back to sleep. "My name is Ardeth Bay and you are with the Medjai. You are safe." And she slipped back into the darkness of sleep once again.

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><p><span><strong>Belle<strong>

The next time I awoke it was night once again and the desert air was cold and a light breeze filled the air with the scent of the palm trees that bordered the oasis. The fever that I had for the most part of the day and night had gone down but my body still shook with the fever that lingered. A wave of dizziness hit me as I set up letting the blanket that covered my shoulders drop to my lap. I glance around the small tent to see a small bowl of water waiting for me; picking it up I take slow sips and when I had my feel used the rest to wash my face and cool my skin; the night air helped chill the water droplets that lingered on my skin. I had a clear view of the camp before me men moved about some taking care of the horses, others could be seen sitting around a fire eating and laughing with their friends. A few where scattered around the campsite either talking in their own groups or lay down to rest and farther away I could see two of the men taking watch for the night.

My gaze drifted to one of the men that where taking watch I is back was turned away from her but she could see the side of his face as he turned to speak to the man beside him a frown etched on to his dark features his dark eyes glittered in the moon light and his dark hair fell about his shoulders loss from its cloth rap and headdress that had hidden his hair from view earlier. _So this is Ardeth Bay._ Her eyes followed his straight nose to his full lips and down to his strong jaw that was covered in facial hair a bread and a mustache covered his lower face in a clean cut. What struck her the most about the man where the markings on his cheeks and forehead they were a type of hieroglyphics; in fact all the men had some type of marking or another on them. These men saved and helped her; the Medjai great desert warriors of old. She remembered her grandfather telling her about during Pharaoh Seti I rule he had enlisted the service of the Medjai to be his sacred bodyguards. These thought brought tears to her eyes at the thought of her grandfather she missed him so much. Now that she was no longer a captive she finally took the time to grieve for her murdered grandfather for he was all the family she had left and he was gone now as well. She let the tears fall and felt exhaustion hit her like a heavy fog as she lay upon the blankets once again she cried for her family and for herself and fell into a fitful fever sleep wishing to not dream but the silent request was denied and she spent the rest of the night with dark and fearful dreams of a past she knew nothing of and of the family she has lost.

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><p><strong>Word Count: 1,279<strong>

**Well that's it guys Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! The next chapter will be out hopefully tomorrow for New Year's until then…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	11. Chapter 9

_**School starts back up next week so here is the new chapter before then Sorry its short it's just a filler chapter anyway. Enjoy! Please Favorite and Review all reviews are accepted no flams please!**_

_**Disclaimer: I have No ownership of The Mummy except for the DVD's and my own OC's **_

_**Warning: This chapter is Rated M for violence and language don't read if you don't like.**_

Thoughts = 'Hello…'

Ancient Egyptian = **"Hello…"**

Dreams/ past life = _Hello…_

Talking = "Hello…"

Ra-nefer-u: most beautiful sun

Nekht: strength

Bomani: warrior

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><p><strong>Chapter 9 – Sisters <strong>

~Belle's Dream~

_Ra-nefer-u looked out her bedroom balcony down to the training field below. The Medjai were getting ready for the Pharaohs annual tournament that was to be held the next day. Nekht was among them; he was sparing with one of his fellow men sweat gleaming on his body from the sun's rays and his hair sticking to his tattooed cheeks. Her breath hitched as he quickly blocked a blow aimed to his chest. She worried when he told her he would be competing though she knew he was more than capable of handling himself on the battle field. She turned to her room as the door opened and her sister walked out to join her at the balcony._

"_**Nefertiri it is good to see you my sister." **__Ra-nefer-u pulled her into a hug a huge smile on her face; she always enjoyed spending time with Nefertiri she was her favorite among all the royal children. _

"_**It is wonderful to see you as well little Nefer-u but might I ask what you are looking at." **__She said peering over the side of the balcony to see the men training spotting Nekht finishing up his duel. __**"Ah so that is what has caught my dear sisters eye."**__ She let her gaze drift over to the other young man that had spared against Nekht as they sat down to rest._

"_**I see I'm not the only one who has something to catch their eye hmm Tiri." **__Ra-nefer-u said with a smirk once her blush faded from her sisters' previous comment. Nefertiri know of her feelings towards Nekht just as she knew Nefertiri's feelings towards her own protector Bomani another Medjai and Nekht's friend. They both laughed and with one final glance at the field below they walked inside to the soft cushioned chairs of the sitting room. Taking their seats a tense silence hung in the air for a moment before Nefertiri brought up the one thing that Ra-nefer-u wanted far from her thoughts. _

"_**You know that father is planning to look for suitors for both of us soon. Are you prepared for this?" **__Nefertiri posed the question to her sister trying to read her reaction._

"_**No I don't think I will ever be. I don't want to marry someone I don't love. Do I not have the chance to make my own happiness? What about your own heart's desire? You feel for that warrior just as I feel for Nekht are you willing to let him go so easily so that you can marry another!?" **__She jumped up and began pacing the floor in front of her sister. How can she think that I could marry another that is chosen for me! __**"At lest you both have acknowledged your feelings for one another; sometimes I fear that my love for Nekht is one sided and that he cares for me as nothing but a charge to protect and a friend!" **__The younger princess's eyes swelled with tears at her own words. Nefertiri stood up and embraced her sister in a hug trying to comfort her for she knew Ra-nefer-u's love for the Medjai chieftain was strong and after talking with Bomani she knew that Nekht had feelings similar to that of her little sisters; he just didn't know how to approach Nefer with them feeling that his duty forbade him from doing so. The sisters sat that way for a while before talking of less stressful things before Nefertiri took her leave. _

_Later that night, Ra-nefer-u lay awake in her bed. Her thoughts going back to all those years ago when she met Nekht and the words of her father were brought to the forefront of her mind. 'What did he mean I was blessed by the Goddesses and why me? I have not seen any signs of power manifesting in me nor have I heard further on the topic. What happened the night I was born I cannot remember what mother told me about that night. Oh how I wish I could see her once again. I miss her stories and her singing. She'd sing me to sleep while she combed my hair.' A single tear fell down the princess's cheek before she turned to look out the balcony at the full moon above. Drawing comfort from its light she slowly drifted off to sleep not knowing that her protector was silently watching from behind a curtain that swayed in the night breeze. Nekht eyes turned from the young woman to look out at the night sky and he also gazed at the moon sending a silent prayer to the gods that the woman he loved would find comfort and peaceful dreams tonight before he continued his silent watch over the princess for the night. _

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><p><strong>Word Count: 1,032<strong>

**Well it's a short chapter but I hope you enjoyed it! I will try to have more Ardeth later on. I want to start slow and build the romance up. If you guys have noticed Nekht is Ardeth in his past life that is the only hint I am giving you for the story. Thank you so much for reading you guys I love you all and I am extremely glad that you like my story it means a lot to me. I you have questions or suggestions don't hesitate to post them in your reviews I would also like to start answering or replying to the reviews I get. Also the movie will come into play in the next two upcoming chapters so stay tuned. I will update soon when I can until then…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	12. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I have No ownership of The Mummy except for the DVD's and my own OCs **_

_**AN: Just so you guys know this takes place 5 months before Rick goes to Hamunaptra for the first time.**_

_**I have a new beta-reader! Thank you Emilie Bay for helping make these chapters possible!**_

**~ Chapter 10 – Meeting Evelyn ~**

**Belle**

Belle woke with a start. 'That man… the one from my dreams… he looked just like…' The dream faded quickly from her mind as the sounds of men yelling broke through the curtains of her tent. Sunlight drifted in through the opening as Ardeth stepped in.

"It is time to leave. We head to the city today. I must check your wound before we leave." Ardeth said instructing her to lie back. He removed the bandages to see the gash on her right side. The bleeding had slowed but it hadn't stopped completely. Taking a wet cloth he once again cleaned her and wrapped her tightly in clean strips of linen. Bringing his hand to her forehead he checked for signs of fever only to feel that it had broken sometime during the night. He picked up the soiled cloth and with a short nod he turned and left the tent to give more orders to the men.

"Not very talkative, is he?" Belle muttered to herself as she sat up again and stretched slowly and carefully; trying not to disturb her wound. She washed her face and neck ridding her skin of whatever sweat or dirt that lingered. She took the headdress next to her and placed it on her head, putting the veil on so that only her eyes could be seen. It would protect her from the harsh sun. Ardeth once again entered the tent just as she had put her boots back on.

"Come, you will ride with me." He helped her to her feet; steadying her as she caught her balance. Ardeth then led her from the tent as one of his men handed him the reigns of his horse, and moved to take down the tent.

"Can you ride?"

"Yes. How far are we from the city?"

"It's about a ten-hour-ride from here. It is nine o'clock now. We should get there by nightfall." He answered her. He checked the horse before turning to lift her up onto the saddle, being mindful of her wound. His hands lingered on her waist; making sure she was seated comfortably before climbing on behind her his body pressed right up against her back to his chest. There was not much room for the both of them on the horse as he had to sit close up on her she felt every muscle and his warm breath on her neck. Her heart raced; she could feel his thigh muscles tighten on the horse as his leg brushed up against hers. His fingers brushed her waist as he reached for the reigns in front of her and wrap an arm firmly but gently around her waist, making her gasp. Her heartbeat jumped at his touch, a spark jolted through her.

"I am sorry, did I hurt you?" Ardeth asked, snatching back his hands.

"No, it's nothing." She said, slapping herself mentally. 'Get a grip girl.' She thought and tried to calm her racing heart. 'Now is not the time to be having feelings for my rescuer.' Ardeth grabbed the reigns once more holding on to her again and called for his men to move out. With that they all shot off into the desert.

At midday, water was being passed around between the men. Ardeth took a drink from his canteen then passed it to Belle, who gladly accepted it. As the next hour passed Belle began to wonder where she would stay when she got to the city. She had no family left and no money either. Perhaps once she was better she would go back to France. But then she remembered her grandfather's words the night before the raid. _"My friend Howard Carnahan's children Jonathan and Evelyn are staying in Cairo. If something were to happen to me, my dear, you must go and find them. They will keep you safe. You are special, my child, and I know not what I would do if anything happened to you. Please promise me that you will find them. Promise me." _

"_I promise grandfather."_

So that was that, then. Once she was healed she would go and find Evelyn and Jonathan.

As they rode on and on, a long distant memory resurfaced. Once when she was a child her mother told her a story about how Egypt was once at war. And that a Pharaoh had prayed to the gods for victory and peace and in return they command that he give his unborn child to them to bless it as their own. The gods answered his prayer and he won the battle. That very next night a daughter was born to the royal family. It was said that at her birth three goddesses appeared in the room and chanted over the queen, and a great light filled the room and the cry of a babe was heard. When the light dimmed the three women were nowhere to be seen. Everyone attending the birth of the baby girl was silent with shock and awe as the child giggled and then fell asleep.

The pharaoh was told of what happened. He held the child and said she was blessed by the gods and belonged to them, and named her Ra-nefer-u.

At the end of the tale Belle's mother would pick her up and hold her and tell her that when she was in labor her skin glowed with an inner light and she noticed three women dressed as nurses at her bedside that had not been there before. She remembered them chanting in a different language over her and disappearing right when baby Belle was born.

Belle thought it was strange for her to remember all of this just now. And why was she having dreams about Ra-nefer-u? Belle was brought from her thoughts hours later as they came to a halt. They had ridden all day and most of the evening. It was now nightfall and they were just outside the gates of the city. Only three other warriors besides Ardeth and Laham entered the city; the rest of the Medjai waited for their leader's return outside of the city limits.

For another thirty minutes they rode deeper into the city before they came to a small house next to the Museum of Antiquities. Ardeth climbed down and helped her off the horse; his hands about her waist as she used his shoulders for support. He then led her to the house and knocked. After a few moments a man answered the door. He was a tall man, in his 50's and balding, with a greying mustache and beard. _Wait! I know him…_

"Oh! Miss. Amera what a surprise!" The man seemed surprised that I was at his door step. Ardeth was surprised that the man knew me!

"Dr. Terence Bey! But you're the curator of the Cairo museum!?" So this is who Ardeth thought would help me. I had meet Mr. Bey when grandfather and I visited the museum before we went to the dig site.

"What are you doing here, and where is your grandfather?" At the mention of my grandfather, tears filled my eyes and rolled down my warm cheeks. I bit down my lip to stifle the sobs that tried to escape me. Ardeth whispered in his ear and Dr. Bey's face fell and took on a sympathetic expression.

"Come inside child. I will make some tea." He ushered us inside and sat me down on the couch. Then he went into the kitchen. Ardeth and the other warriors stayed behind in the living room with me, sitting down around the room.

Terence came back carrying seven cups and a tea kettle. Ardeth helped him carry the tray and set it down on the table, and handed me a cup. The sweet Moroccan tea warmed my body and soothed my throat. I dried my tears with a handkerchief I found in my pocket and taking a deep calming breath I began my story. When I was finished with both the story and the tea the curator offered me a place to sleep for the night which I gladly accepted.

"Thank you so much, Terence..." And turning to Ardeth, I added "And thank you again, Ardeth, for saving me. I know if you had not, I would have died out there. So thank you."

He bowed slightly and bid me farewell. With a nod to Terence he and his warriors swept out of the house with their black robes floating around them. I looked longingly after them. _I doubt I will ever see them again._ I thought as Terence ushered me into the extra bedroom to rest. He handed me sleeping gown from his late wife. I changed into the gown and turned down the covers climbing into the bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

I stayed with Terence for a few weeks before he offered me a job at the museum. I walked into the building and was in awe of all the artifacts that covered the rooms and halls of the museum. I walked into the library gazing at the tall bookshelves in wonder, not really paying attention to where I was going, and I bumped into someone causing them to drop the large stack of books they were carrying.

"Oh I am so sorry! I was not looking where I was going!" I apologized, bending down to help pick up the fallen books.

"Oh it's quite alright. I tend to be a bit clumsy all on my own." The person I had bumped into was a woman with dark hair, pulled back into a neat bun on the back of her head. Her bangs hung in front of her hazel brown eyes almost touching the round reading glasses she wore low on her nose. She had an English accent but had slight Egyptian features about her. She might have been half Egyptian.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked as I handed her the last book.

"Oh I'm looking for Dr. Bey's office to let him know I am ready to start work." Her eyebrows raised in acknowledgement.

"Ah you're the new librarian he told me about! Here, I will take you to him. Oh, my name is Evelyn, by the way. Evelyn Carnahan, but you can call me Evy. I'm also a librarian here, and a prospective Egyptologist." She put all the books down and shook my hand smiling. I smiled back and introduced myself.

"I'm Belle. Belle Amera, it's nice to meet you Evy." I had found her the one grandfather had talked about! Evelyn Carnahan.

**Well that's all guys I hope you enjoyed it, I love updating. I might be updating slower than I want because of my new job but I will do my best. Also thanks again to Emilie Bay; my beta-reader and thank you to those that favorite and review. It means a lot. Please Review and Follow! Until the next update guys…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	13. Chapter 11

**Hello readers hope you enjoyed that last chapter. Here is the next one. Thanks, you guys. Also I'm going by the script along with movie script so bear with me if it seems different in some places from the movie. Also a special thanks to my beta-reader Emilie Bay I am glad for all your help!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy nor will I ever own it. I don't own the script either. I only own my OCs. Thanks!**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 11 – Three Years Later~<strong>

**Belle**

It had been three years since Ardeth saved me. Three years since the strange dreams stopped. Three years since my grandfather died. Three years since I started working at the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. I was now 24 years old and my hair was a lot longer, down to my hips. I wore it in a braid. But not much else had changed. I was helping Evelyn with re-shelving some books in the library when Dr. Bey called to me from his office.

I climbed off my ladder and called up to Evy, "I will be right back Evy. He probably needs me to translate something again." With a nod I left her to the books as I walked to Dr. Bey's office. Walking in I could see the frown begin to show on Terence's face creasing the wrinkles on his brow. The papers scattered out across the desk. I chuckled and helped him organize the documents and decipher the more difficult translations going through each stack carefully reading each page. I was discussing a page on Seti I when we both heard a loud crashing from the library.

"Evelyn!" I yelled as we ran to the library only to see the books and book cases toppled onto the floor as if they were a line of dominoes.

"Oops…" I heard Evy whisper as Terence walked in, stepping over books and papers, looking as shocked as I, as we gazed at the now ruined library.

"What… how… look at this! Sons of the Messiah! Give me frogs, flies, locusts! Anything but this! Compared to you the other plagues were a joy!" Dr. Bey was furious; I could see his face turning red as he yelled at Evy. _He's being a bit harsh… _I thought to myself as I helped Evelyn pick up books from the floor.

"I'm terribly sorry. It was an accident." Evy tried to appease him. _It's no use Evy, the library is a mess. _

"My dear girl when Ramesses destroyed Syria that was an accident. You are a catastrophe! Look at my library! Why do I put up with you?" Evelyn turns to him becoming irritated and trying to contain herself.

"Well you put up with me because I can read and write Ancient Egyptian. Decipher hieroglyphs and hieratic, and well I'm the only person within a thousand miles who knows how to properly code and catalogue this library that's why!" Evy's voice became louder as she began to rant at the curator.

"I put up with you because your mother and father were our finest patrons! That's why. Allah rest their souls. Now I don't care how you do it. Straighten up this mess!" Terence stormed out of the room and left me and a steaming Evy to clean up the mess.

"You know he didn't mean to be harsh. Though Evy this is quite a mess." I tell her with a small laugh. "What were you doing to cause such a mess?"

Evelyn frowned softly and I stopped the giggles from escaping my lips as she explained her fall from the ladder after trying to place a book on the shelf opposite to the one she had been leaning on. We both were laughing at the end of her tale. Our fun was cut short as a noise was heard coming from one of the exhibit halls.

"What was that?" I asked placing the books in my hand on a table and standing up.

"I'm not sure; we should go check it out." I followed Evy out of the room.

"Hello?" Evy said looking around. It was quiet. Eerie. And then we heard it again, like feet, slowly shuffling across the floor, coming from a nearby gallery.

"Abdul? Mohammed...? Bob?" She called out again hoping it to be one of the other workers. I shushed her and we got closer to the gallery. We walked through the stacks and entered a room filled with treasures and plunder from the Middle Kingdom. It was very dark and quiet in there. The only light came from flickering torches at either end of the spooky gallery. The noise again! From the far side of the room… feet, slowly shuffled; plodding across the floor. Evelyn grabbed a torch. Looked around, at a statue of Anubis, another of Horus, they seemed to be staring down at her, who was starting to get scared. I just walked quietly beside her. We walked down the aisles past a closed sarcophagus, cases of ancient artifacts, and yet another sarcophagus, - only this one was open! Evelyn froze, swallowing hard, nervously looked around to see who could have opened it. I saw no one else in the room but us, as I looked around as well as she slowly leaned forward with the torch, and peered inside.

Suddenly a hideous rotted mummy sat up and screeched at us! I jumped and Evelyn screamed and we both backed away from the coffin, scared out of our wits. And then, coming from inside the sarcophagus, we heard a man laughing. Evy's eyes narrowed as a foppish cad crawled out from behind the mummy, laughing his ass off, half drunk.

"You…! YOU…!" Evy couldn't even get the words out.

"Drunkard? Fool? Rat-bastard? Please call me something original." The man laughed even more, putting a cigarette in the mummy's mouth.

"Have you no respect for the dead?" Evy said as the shock was wearing off; I on the other hand was finding the situation a little amusing. Apparently Evelyn knew the man and her reaction to this situation was humorous.

"Right now, I only wish to join them." He said placing the mummy's arm up to rest on the edge of the sarcophagus grinning drunkenly.

"Well I wish you'd do it sooner rather than later, before you ruin my career the way you ruined yours, now get out." She said taking the cigarette from the mummy's mouth and hitting the man on the arm before helping him climb out.

"My dear, sweet, baby sister, I'll have you know, that at this moment my career is on a high note." He said, staggering to gain his footing. _So this is the older brother she's always telling me about. _I tried to contain my giggles.

"High note? Ha! Oh not right now Jonathan. I've just made a bit of a mess in the library and the Bembridge Scholars have rejected my application… they say that I don't have enough experience in the field." _So that's why she's been so down lately… I thought for sure she would get in this time._ She sat down dejectedly on a stone bench near the statue of Horus. I sat next to her and gave her a one-armed hug.

"Don't worry Evy; it will turn out alright, you'll see." I tried making her smile.

"Yeah and you'll always have me, old mum." Jonathan said with a smile and joined the hug. "Now I have just the thing to cheer you up." He began to rummage through his pockets and then walked over to the sarcophagus and pulled something out.

"Oh no Jonathan, not another worthless trinket, if I have to bring one more piece of junk to the Curator to try and sell for you..." She trailed off as Jonathan pulls out a small, ancient box. Evelyn was instantly curious, grabbing the box out of his hand and looking it over.

"Where did you get this?" She asked, turning the box this way and that, reading the inscriptions. She handed it for me to look at. As my fingers touched the box a cold chill ran down my spine. Something was not right with this. I gave it back to Evelyn.

"On a dig down in Thebes" he replied, looking on in anticipation. "All my life I've never found anything please Evy tell me I've found something." Evelyn placed her fingers on the sides and turns the box. There was a soft click and the top popped open to reveal a folded piece of papyrus. Evy gently pulled it out of the box.

"Jonathan, I think you found something." She turned to him with a smile and then glanced back at me. "Oh how rude of me. You two don't know each other, do you? Jonathan this is my friend Belle Amera, she is also a librarian here. Belle this is my drunkard, boorish, disrespectful older brother Jonathan."

"How do you do?" He laughed, ignoring his sister's presentation, and shook my hand.

"Nice to meet you." I replied smiling in amusement. _Evelyn really must not like his drinking habits._

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><p>We were in Terence's office showing him the map Evy had found in the puzzle box. Terence sat at his desk, staring through a jeweler's eyepiece at the box as Evelyn hovered behind him, excited. I sat in a chair across the room.<p>

"You see the cartouche there, it's the official royal seal of Seti the First, I'm sure of it." Evy said pointing it out on the map. Dr. Bey glanced over the paper with a slight frown.

"Perhaps." He said as Jonathan leaned in from across the desk.

"Two questions. Who the hell is Seti the First? And was he rich?" Jonathan asked. I rolled my eyes with a small smile and shook my head. '_Is he rich?' Really Jonathan… _

"He was the last Pharaoh of the Old Kingdom, said to be the wealthiest Pharaoh of them all." Evy replied looking up from the map.

"Alright, good, that's good. I like this fellow, I like him very much." _Jonathan is very amusing. Are all his thoughts based on money?_

"I've already dated it; this map is almost four thousand years old. And if you look at the hieratic there…well its Hamunaptra." Evelyn exclaimed excitedly. _Hamunaptra… now why does that sound familiar? I can't remember. And why does it set my nerves on edge?_ Terence seemed to freeze with a slightly panicked look at the word Hamunaptra before resuming a calm and stern expression. He turned to Evelyn and replied "My dear girl, don't be ridiculous, we are scholars, not treasure hunters. Hamunaptra is a myth told by Arab story tellers to attract tourists."

"Are we talking about _the_ Hamunaptra?" Jonathan asked.

Then I remembered reading something about the place, and said "Yes. The City of the Dead; where the earliest of Pharaohs were said to have hidden the wealth of Egypt."

"Right, right, in a big underground treasure chamber. Everybody knows the story. The entire necropolis was rigged to sink into the sand. On Pharaoh's command, a flick of the switch! And the whole place could disappear beneath the dunes." Jonathan said and Terence shook his head.

"All we know is that the city mysteriously vanished around 2,134 B.C." Evy said turning from her brother to look at me with a nod to confirm the information. Terence held the map closer to the lit oil lamp as if to see it better.

"As the Americans would say; it's all fairy tales and hokum. Oh!" Terence exclaimed. The map suddenly caught on fire. He threw it on the floor and I stood to my feet as Jonathan and Evelyn dropped to their knees to quickly put it out. The left third of the map was now missing.

"You burned it! You burned off the part with the lost city!" Jonathan yelled holding the map as if it would turn into ash; his dreams of wealth gone in a poof.

"It's for the best, I'm sure. Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra, no one has ever found it, most have never returned." Terence said in all seriousness. _Something is not right… is he intentionally trying to keep us from going to that place?_

"You killed my map." Jonathan whined with the map in his lap.

"I'm sure it was a fake, anyway, I'm surprised at you, Miss Carnarvon, to be so fooled. You too Belle." I frowned and before he could reach for the box again I grabbed it and walked out the door with Evy and Jonathan following behind.

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><p><strong>Word Count: 2,150<strong>

**Well that's it I hope you enjoyed this chapter I will try to update again soon I am working now so they might be coming a bit slow again. Please Review thank you! Until then…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	14. Chapter 12

**Hello everyone, my little feathers DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings here (LOL) First I would like to say thank you to everyone who is following I have hit the 100 followers mark so I'm happy about that. I am snowed in and not at work because of the snow so I thought about making a new chapter. Also please pray for my family my great grandmother just passed away this week and I really miss her so it's a little hard on us.**

**Hope you enjoy it Review please they make the creative juices flow! Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers and to those that favorite and follow me I really love you guys. Also thank you again to Emilie Bay for being such a wonderful beta-reader! Hugs!**

**2/15/2014**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy nor will I ever own it.**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 12 – Just A Dream~<strong>

_Belle_

"_**Ra-nefer-u!" **__Nekht yells out, reaching to catch her but failing, as she tumbles to the sand, the priest's arrows still soaring through the air. He reins in his horse, jumping off and running to the fallen princess. He slowly lifts her up and checks her pulse. It is slow and faint; he gives a strangled yell of frustration. The young woman moans and cries out in pain; hot flashes of white cloud her vision as the pain worsens when she tries to move. Nekht shushes her and looks at the wound; the arrow was broken off half way from her fall and stuck further into her skin deep and bleeding profusely. _

_**"Don't try to move your highness; you are hurt very badly." **__He looks up to see that the priest has turned back their horses and ridden off into the distance._

_** "N-Nekht it hurts s-so much p-please… make the pain g-go away p-please…" **_

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><p>I sat up in bed gasping for air, terrified. As I recognized my whereabouts, I tried to calm my racing heart by taking deep breaths. After so many years and now the dreams wanted to resurface. I swept my hair from my face rubbing my eyes and climbed out of bed. It had been three days since Evy and I showed the map to the curator. The small puzzle box that the map was found in sat on my nightstand. I had been having the same dream for two nights… it was the first of the strange dreams that had begun all those years ago. I grabbed my dressing robe from the end of the bed and pulled it over my shoulders tying the sash tightly and walked to the small balcony that was attached to my small apartment. I had rented this place when I got back on my feet a few months after starting work at the museum. I had spruced up the rundown place with some new paint and warm natural tones of furniture throughout the place. I liked my bedroom especially because of the bed. I had ordered it specially made, it took up most of the room but it was big and made of polished wood and had the best Egyptian cotton sheets I could afford, with red and white pillows. It was the only room that did not follow the natural brown and tan colors of the palette I had chosen for my home. The walls were pained a bright white with white carpeted floors. My vanity was the same deep polished wood as the bed and had a tall mirror on top of it; my perfumes and lotions lay neatly across it. I had a full bath connected to the room, white tiled, with an ebony claw footed tub and brass handles on the sink… it was completely different than what I began with. I could enjoy my home and come back to relax in my only place of peace and solitude; though the solitude did get a bit lonely sometimes. During those times, like now, I thought back to that day in the desert with my grandfather… how I wished he was still here. How I wished we had never come to Egypt, maybe he would still be alive and smiling at me and laughing over afternoon tea. I closed my eyes and let the cool air brush my face. It was still dark out and the city was still silent in sleep. I pulled away from the railing, and sat down in one of the two chairs I had out on the balcony. My mind began to drift to Ardeth. I wondered what the tall, dark warrior was up to. Had he gone back to his people or was he still standing guard over the lost city? I don't know how long I sat there before sleep claimed me again.<p>

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><p>"<em><strong>Belle…" <strong>__It begins as a soft whisper and grows louder_ _**"Belle it's time…"**__ I open my eyes to see myself floating in a sea of light_ _**"Ra-nefer-u…" **__the voice whispers. "That name… I have heard it before. Who's there and why do you call me by that name?" A sudden flash of light blinds me and I block it out with my arm before it dims. I am standing in a room that looks as old as the sands of Egypt. It is brightly lit with an open space and it looks like a throne room. Three thrones sit upon the dais and in the three thrones sit three very different women. In the first throne on the far right sits a bronze skinned woman with a deep red beaded dress, almost the color of blood. She has dark hair; and a golden crown upon her head, with a sun disk being held by two cow horns and a snake in the middle of the sun. She was very beautiful and has a soft and gentle air about her and her dark eyes twinkle with joy. The woman on the far left throne is dark skinned and has the head of a cat. Her eyes are bright green, shining out against her black fur. She wears a dress the color of the Nile veiled in night, and a necklace with the eye of wedjet rests against her breast. She sits tall in her chair and has a calm but stern expression. In the middle throne is a woman with pale skin that shines with moonlight and her hair is dark and long. Her gaze is motherly and as blue as the skies. She wears a beaded dress of light blue and white cloth that flows about her feet. Upon her head sits a tall headdress in the shape of a throne that is a beautiful gold and bronze color. All three of these magnificent and beautiful women smile, and the one in the middle says in welcome __**"Hello Ra-nefer-u… or Belle, as you know yourself. We meet at last." **__Before me sit Hathor, Bastet, and Isis the three Goddesses of Egypt. 'This has to be a dream.' _

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><p><strong>Word count: 1,189<strong>

**Sorry it's so short this is really just a filler chapter. Hope you liked it I will update soon. Goodbye my little feathers until then…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	15. Chapter 13

**Hello again my little feathers, DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings here I hope you enjoyed the last two chapters. I'm so sorry for the long update I have been really busy with work lately! Also I am still re-writing and updating previous chapters so if you would like to go back and read the changes you can.**

**Hope you enjoy it! Review please, they make the creative juices flow! Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers and to those that favorite and follow me I really love you guys. Also thank you again to Emilie Bay for being such a wonderful beta-reader! Hugs!**

**4/25/2014**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy nor will I ever own it.**

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><p><strong>~ Chapter 13 – Dreaming of Goddesses ~<strong>

_ I stare up at the three goddesses before me in wonder with only one thought in my mind; what are they doing in MY dream? My wonderment at their appearance turned into concern, then fear._

_**"Do not be alarmed young one. We are not here to harm you. We simply wished to speak with you." **__Bastet said, beckoning me forward. I slowly took a step towards them and then another and another until I was standing but a few feet from the steps leading to the dais. Hathor gave a slight chuckle at my hesitation. _

_**"What are you doing in my dream? Is this a dream or a-a-a vision? I don't understand… why are you here?" **__My confusion showed on my face as clear as day. Isis leaned forward in her throne. Her blue eyes gazed into mine with a deep penetrating stare. She was studying me like she was learning everything about my soul. She must have found what she was looking for because she gave a short nod for Bastet to continue and sat back against the chair._

_**"We have come to you and given you this dream-like vision because it is time. It is now time for you to face your destiny." **__Hathor said softly rising from her seat, placing her hands upon my shoulders as her brown doe-like eyes held my gaze. I looked from her to the other two goddesses in confusion._

_Isis sat tall in her throne __**"Belle, you are special, One of a kind." **__Her tone was strong and mothering.__** "Your birth and rebirth has been written in the stars since the birth of the Nile; since the beginning of Egypt. The power you hold has been dormant for over three thousand years hidden so well by the gods that they were never revealed to you in your past life." **__The dreams! Now I understand they are memories; memories of my past life in Ancient Egypt. The stories my mother used to tell me as a child they are real!_

"_**Do you understand now child? The dreams from your past were given to you to awaken you to the truth. You are meant to be a child of the gods, unlike Pharaoh who is simply a symbol and not a true descendant of the gods. You my dear one; you are the direct link between the gods and men. You are a true child of the gods. We created you and placed you within your mother's womb. Twice you have been born into this world, your purpose hidden from you to keep you safe from those that would use you against all that is good and bring about the destruction of the world. The evil god Set has wanted to kill you for the power you hold would put even him at bay. For you my dear are a goddess. That is your birthright." **__I was in shock at Isis's words. Me? a child of the gods? a goddess myself?! but how can this be, I am but a mortal woman! I swayed on my feet and Hathor reached out to steady me. I shook her off as the room stopped spinning._

"_**That's impossible how can- I- I am but a mortal! a human! If what you say is true then are my parents not my real parents? Has my life been nothing but one big lie!?" **__I screamed at them, tears falling from my hard gaze. Hathor tried to soothe me but I stepped out of her embrace. __**"Did my grandfather die because of me? because of this so called gift! this curse!" **__My voice dropped to a low whisper. I could feel my heart breaking at the thought of me being the cause of his death._

"_**Do not ever think that way! **__Bastet said sternly standing from her chair to stand face to face with me __**"Your grandfather died because of the murderous greed of the men that attacked your camp. It is not your fault but theirs. As for your parents… they are your birth parents and they loved you very much. Your mother knew of this and yet she did not tell you of your true calling because it was her wish that you lived as a normal human being. Your life has not been a lie. The three of us where assigned to be your guardians; to guide you on your journey and teach you about your gifts. There is one, undead, that will become a walking plague upon this Earth and you must be the one to stop him." **__Bastet wiped the tears from my eyes and embraced me; not a moment after two more sets of arms joined in on the hug. Calmness washed over me like a cool breeze and I no longer felt so alone… but there was one thing that was bothering me. I pulled away from the embrace and asked __**"Who is this man I keep seeing in my dreams and why does Ardeth Bay look so much like him?" **__Hathor giggled while Bastet smirked and Isis grinned. My confusion must have been amusing because Hathor's giggles turned into peals of laughter. They obviously knew something that I did not._

"_**The man Nekht and Ardeth Bay are one and the same. Nekht is Ardeth's past life as Ra-nefer-u was yours. He is you protector, hand-chosen by the gods to keep you safe; it is by chance that you have come to meet one another once again after three thousand years of waiting, though he does not know who he was or what was his mission. You will see him again, but it is not for you to tell him of this. He will learn in time. And now it is time for you to awaken young one. Remember, we will always be with you. When you awaken there will be an amulet waiting for you. If you ever need us or wish to speak just grasp the stone in your hand and say 'Setsher Nut Ameru' and we will come." **__Isis kissed my forehead and all became dark. _

I bolted in my seat with a gasp, the sun beamed down on me as I rubbed my tired eyes, finding myself still outside on the balcony where must have been sitting since the night before. I started to stand from the chaise when I heard a soft clank as something fell from my lap to the floor. I slowly bent down to pick up whatever had fallen and found it to be a necklace. I hesitated to pick it up, and when my fingers touched the cold stone of the jewel a shock shot up my arm, causing me to almost drop the necklace back onto the floor. Suddenly my mind was flooded with memories of the dream from that night. Soft whispers lingered;_** "Remember, we will always be with you. When you awaken there will be an amulet waiting for you. If you ever need us or wish to speak just grasp the stone in your hand and say 'Setsher Nut Ameru' and we will come." **__The dream was real! _

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><p><strong>Word Count: 1,356<strong>

**Sorry it was so short and it took me forever to get this out but life happened to pull me away from writing for a while. Hope you enjoyed it Favorite and Review Please thanks! Until next time…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	16. Chapter 14

**Hello again my little feathers DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings here I hope you enjoyed the last few chapters. I'm on a roll so here is the next one! Also I am still re-writing and updating previous chapters so if you would like to go back and read the changes you can.**

**Hope you enjoy it! Review please, they make the creative juices flow! Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers and to those that favorite and follow me; I really love you guys. Also thank you again to Emilie Bay for being such a wonderful beta-reader! Hugs!**

**4/25/2014**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy nor will I ever own it.**

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><p><strong>~Chapter 14 – Meeting Rick~<strong>

That morning after getting ready I made my way over to Evy and Jonathan's place. Turns out Jonathan hadn't found the puzzle box in Thebes.

I thought over my dream as we made our way over to the Cairo Prison gates.

"Come, come! Step over the threshold. Welcome to Cairo Prison, my humble home." The warden said enthusiastically as he led us through the prison. Evy was not happy to be there and neither was I.

"You told me that you got it on a dig down in Thebes." Evy yelled at her brother.

"Well, I was mistaken."

"You lied to me."

"I lie to everybody. What makes you so special?"

"I am your sister."

"That just makes you more gullible."

"Jonathan you stole it from a drunk at the local Kasbah!"

"Picked his pocket, actually. So I don't think it's a very good-

"Stop being so ridiculous. Now what exactly is this man in prison for?" Evy asked the warden after her little argument with her brother. I was walking silently behind them shaking my head at the two. We came to a stop in front of a row of bars to a prison cell.

"This I do not know. But when I heard that you were coming, I asked him that myself." He said and then called out to a guard.

"And what did he say?" I asked tuning into the conversation and putting the thoughts of my dream aside.

"He said that he was just looking for a good time." The guards brought out a ragged man with long dusty brown hair that hung over his grey blue eyes. His clothes were covered in layers of dirt and his face turned into a deep scowl giving a few grunts and groans as the guards dragged him in and hit him with a baton in order to bring him to his knees in front of us.

"This is- This is the man that you stole it from?"

"Yes, exactly. So why don't we just go sniff out a spot of tiffin—

"Who are you?" The man who was clearly an American said as he looked us over. "And who are the broads?"

"Broad?" Evy was offended and I was livid! Who did the man think he was!?

"Well I-I'm just a local sort of missionary chap, spreading the good word and all that. But this is my sister Evy, and our friend Belle." Evy gave a friendly but irritated 'how do you do' and I just frowned and folded my arms together, glaring at the man.

"Oh, well." He said looking Evelyn up and down. "Guess she's not a total loss." I was just glad he completely ignored me.

"I beg your pardon!" If Evy wasn't mad before she was sure enough livid now. The warden suddenly shouted at some of the prisoners in Arabic and walked off saying he would be right back, leaving us alone with the prisoner. Jonathan leaned into Evy and whispered in her ear.

"Ask him about the box."

"Um, we have found—Uh, hello. Excuse me." Evelyn said trying to get the man's attention which had turned to the warden. He turned to look at Evy again as she spoke again.

"Um… we both found your puzzle box… and we've come to ask you about it."

"No."

"No?"

"No. You came to ask me about Hamunaptra."

My eyes lit up in recognition. So someone other than me knew of where the City of the Dead was, and could lead us right to it. Not that Evy or Jon ever knew of my short adventure in the desert... Jonathan tried to shush the man as we stepped close to try to keep from being over heard.

"H-How do you know the box pertains to Hamunaptra?" Evy whispered.

"Because that's where I was when I found it. I was there." Evy looked over at me in disbelief.

"But how do we know that's not a load of pig's wallow?" Jonathan asked stepping right up to the bars getting eye level with the man.

"Do I know you?" the man asked Jonathan looking closely at him.

"No, no. I've just got one of those faces." A look of recognition passed across the prisoner's face the second before he punched Jonathan right in the face, earning him another whack with the baton. I couldn't stifle the giggle that passed through my lips. I'm sure the man now remembered that it had been Jon that stole the puzzle box from his pocket. Evy stepped over her older brother's prone body and got closer to the bars.

"You were actually at Hamunaptra?" She asked. The man grinned at her and replied.

"Yeah, I was there."

"You swear?"

"Every damn day."

"No I didn't mean that—

"I know. I was there. Seti's place. City of the Dead."

"C-Could you tell me how to get there?" Evy stammered earning a strange look from the man as she pulled her hat off and placed it to the side of her head to hide her face from the warden; who was about to start making his way back over to us. "I mean the exact location." She spoke softly trying not to be heard.

"You want to know?" The man asked in surprise.

"W-Well, yes."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes." Evy whispered leaning closer to the bars. The man wiggled his finger at her to come closer. I was about to warn her not to when he suddenly pulled her face towards him and kissed her right on the lips, in a quick messy kiss. Pulling back from her he yelled.

"Then get me the hell out of here!" The guards began to beat him up and drag him back inside as Evy stumbled away from the bars in a daze.

He yelled out "Do it lady!" and was gone. The warden yelled at the man and spat at him.

"Where are they taking him?" I asked turning to the warden to get an answer.

"To be hanged. Apparently he had a very good time."

We were then led to the balcony area stationed over a courtyard where they kept the gallows. The gruff man was led up the steps and a noose was tied around his neck. We sat down next to the warden as Evy began to bargain with him.

"I will give you 100 pounds to save this man's life."

"Madame, I would pay 100 pounds just to see him hang."

"T-Two hundred pounds!"

"Proceed!"

"Three hundred pounds!" I called out looking over to the warden.

The executioner tightened the rope around the man's neck and asked if he had any last request. He must have asked to be let go because the next thing I hear is the warden yelling something to that fact, and the guard hitting him on the back of the head.

"Five hundred pounds!" Evy gave her last offer. The warden called a pause.

"And what else? I'm a very lonely man." He said placing his hand on Evy's thigh. She gasped and slapped his hand away with her handbag, and in my own fury at his offending display I slapped him in the face as he turned to try that on me. The prisoners that were watching began to laugh at him, and being rejected by both of us he yelled out.

"Yalla tlak!"

"No!" Both Evy and I jumped from our seats and watched as the guard pulled the lever and the man was dropped from the platform; the noose pulling tight around his neck.

The warden laughed. "Ha ha! His neck did not break! Oh, I'm so sorry. Now we must watch him strangle to death." The prisoners began to yell and chant to let him go. The man's face began to turn red as he struggled against the rope.

"He knows the location to Hamunaptra." Evy tried at one last attempt to free the man.

"You lie."

"I would never!"

"Are you telling me this filthy, godless son of a pig knows where to find the City of the Dead?"

"Yes!"

"Truly?"

"Yes! And if you cut him down we will give you—Ten percent."

"Fifty percent."

"Twenty."

"Forty."

"Thirty!"

"Twenty-five."

"Ah deal!" I said before the warden realized his mistake.

"Ahh! Cut him down!" Evy smiled down smugly at him as they cut him from his noose. The spectators cheered and I could only shake my head and hope Evy knew what she was getting into.

Three days later we found ourselves on our way to Giza Port, with all of our necessities packed and ready to go. It was crowed and people where shoving against each other trying to get on the right boats.

"Do you really think he's going to show up?" Evy asked as we walked to the boat, with Jonathan following closely behind. We had found out the man's name was Richard O'Connell, also known as Rick.

"Yes, undoubtedly, knowing my luck. He may be a cowboy, but I know the breed. His word is his word." Jon said trying to reassure his sister.

"Well, personally I think he's filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit."

"Anyone I know?" I could almost laugh at Evy's face when Rick came around behind us with a clean shave and groomed hair, wearing a white shirt, a tan jacket and a matching pair of traveling pants. He cleaned up nice, I must admit. She stuttered a hello and the two held each others gaze until Jonathan butted in.

"Smashing day for the start of an adventure, eh, O'Connell?" Jon said patting Rick on the chest and grinning like a fool.

"Yeah. Yeah, smashing." Rick said checking his pockets to see that everything was still there.

"Oh, no, no, I'd never steal from a partner… partner." Jon was just lying to himself now sharing a laugh with the other man.

"Oh, that reminds me, No hard feelings about the— he did a punching motion.

"Oh, no, no. Happens all the time."

"Way too often if you ask me." I said rubbing my necklace in with my thumb. Evy turned to Rick with a serious look in her eye. Oh, here we go.

"Mr. O'Connell. Can you look me in the eye and guarantee me this isn't some kind of a flimflam? Because if it is, I am warning you—

"You're warning me? Lady, let me put it this way: My whole damn garrison believed in this so much… that without orders, they marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. And when we got there, all we found… was sand and blood." There was an uncomfortable silence that followed and was broken by Rick asking to take our bags and making his way up onto the deck of the boat.

"Yes, yes, you're right. Filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel. Nothing to like there at all." Jon gave Evy a look, and I had a slight smirk on my face. She just glared at us.

"Bright good morning to all." The warden had arrived I groaned.

"Oh, no. What are you doing here?" I asked frowning at the man.

"I'm here to protect my investment, thank you very much." All we could do was sigh. This was going to be a long trip.

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><p><strong>Word Count: 2,044<strong>

**Well that is all for now. This has got to be the longest chapter I have ever written! I hope you liked it, and please review! Until next time…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	17. Chapter 15

**Hello everyone! I apologize for my long absence I have been going through a lot these last few months, a lot of family members have passed away recently so I have been pretty bummed out about things. Writer's block has been the worse. Also I am working on a new fanfic; a Kaleido Star story which I hope to have out in the near future. **

**Review please. They make the creative juices flow! Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers and to those that favorite and follow me; I really love you guys. Also thank you again to Emilie Bay for being such a wonderful beta-reader! Hugs! **

**7/13/2014**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy nor will I ever own it. **

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><p><strong>~ Chapter 15 – Attack on the Nile ~<strong>

Day turned into night as the passenger barge drifted slowly down the Nile. The moon raised high in the evening sky as a slight fog hung in the air. Soft music from a piano played in the background; people laughing and chattering merrily to one another. I breathed in the cool night air as I made my way about the deck watching the people all around me. Resting my back against the railing of the boat I glanced over at one table in particular, there sat Jonathan with three american men playing cards. He was losing badly. I chuckled lightly as he frowned at the hand he was dealt.

"Quit playin' with your glasses and cut the deck, would ya Burns?" The dark haired man stated to the lanky one with glasses.

"Well without my glasses I can't see the deck to cut it, now can I, Dave?" Burns replied as he slid his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. I looked up when O'Connell walked up to the group carrying a bulky bag. Jon called to him.

"O'Connell, sit down, sit down. We could use another player." He said as he took a drink of brandy.

"I only gamble with my life, never my money."

"Never…?" Daniels asked after he was finished dealing the next hand. "What if I was to bet you $500 we get to Hamunaptra before you?" I narrowed my eyes at the man. '_What does he know about Hamunaptra?'_

"You're looking for Hamunaptra?"

"Damn straight we are." Henderson says with a laugh.

"And who says we are?" _'One guess who…'_

"He does." All three of them reply with a finger pointed in Jonathan's direction. _'Only Jonathan…' _ I thought with a sigh. Jon chuckles nervously.

"Well, how 'bout it? Is it a bet?" Daniels asked baiting Rick.

Rick returns Daniels cocky look.

"All right, you're on."

"What makes you so confident, sir?" A new voice enters the conversation, I look over to see an Egyptologist smoking a hookah ask Rick this question.

"What makes you?"

"We got us a man who's actually been there." Henderson says with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, what a coincidence, because O'Connell-

Rick cut Jonathan off by hitting him in the head with his bag as he shouldered it. O'Connell looked up to see me watching them, which also ended up catching the attention of the others at the table. He nodded toward me in greeting and I nodded back politely before he wished the gentlemen a good night. He left, walking away in the direction of Evelyn, whom I had left to her reading earlier. Growing uncomfortable with the lingering stares, I walked away to a secluded area of the boat to have a little peace before I turned in for the night. I gazed out onto the Nile and it was beautiful; the dark waters calmed me. I sighed growing tired and made my way to the room, passing Evy and Rick and wishing them a good night. I made my way inside the small room to the bed in the corner near the window. I pulled out my nightgown from the trunk and placed it on my bed. As I began to disrobe and my fingers brushed against the jewel around my neck, my thoughts drifted to the goddesses' words. I sighed lightly as I let the blue stone drop back upon my collarbone and pulled the white gown over my head letting it slide to rest at my ankles. I turned down the covers before blowing out the candle at my bedside and set down into the sheets turning over and falling into a restless sleep.

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><p>Not long after, I was awakened by screams and gunfire. I stumbled out of bed and ran to the door opening it to see people running about and the ship aflame. There were men clad in black robes shooting at the passengers. I ran from the gunfire looking around for Evy or Jon while calling out to Rick as well. I spotted Evelyn and Rick standing at the railing of the barge and quickly made my way over.<p>

"What is going on?" I yelled, standing next to Evy who was also in her nightgown.

"Can you swim?" Rick asked us as he holstered his gun.

"Of course I can swim, if the occasion calls for it!" Evy replied over the screaming and yelling.

"Trust me. It calls for it." He said sweeping Evy into his arms and tossing her overboard. He turned to me expecting an answer. I shook my head quickly.

"I'm not a very strong swimmer." I stated grimly, backing away from him slowly.

"Yes you are, if you want to live! Time to go!" He said grabbing me and tossing me over as well. I gave a short scream and landed in the water, slashing about as I struggled to reach the surface. I felt a hand around my waist pulling me to the surface, and as my head popped above the water I turned to my side to find Jon helping me across the river. I shivered as we made our way onto the bank, and coughed up water stumbling in the sand.

"We've lost everything! All of our tools, all the equipment! All of our clothes!" Evy ranted as we stood on the shore, and I blushed slightly looking down at myself, as my gown was clinging to my body and left little left to the imagination. I caught the warden's wondering eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. We needed to find some new clothes soon.

"O'Connell! Hey, O'Connell! It looks to me like I've got all the horses!" Beni the Hungarian, a rat of a man yelled out over to us.

"Hey, Beni looks to me like you're on the wrong side of the river!" Rick yelled back with a smirk. Beni scoffed and looked around before cursing and kicking at the water. I looked back at the burning barge one last time before following the others into the desert. _'Those men on the barge seemed familiar… why did they attack us? I'm beginning to think that this trip has become far more dangerous than we had planned and the words of the goddesses alarm me. What is in store for us…?"_

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><p><strong>Word Count: 1,210<strong>

**Sorry it's so short; the next one will be longer. Review please and as always thanks everyone, until next time…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	18. Chapter 16

**Review please. They make the creative juices flow! Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers and to those that favorite and follow me; I really love you guys. Also thank you again to Emilie Bay for being such a wonderful beta-reader! Hugs! **

**7/27/2014**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy nor will I ever own it. **

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><p><strong>~ Chapter 16 – Hamunaptra ~<strong>

The sun had reached its highest in the sky; the desert a blistering heat. We had finally stopped at a traveling caravan to get camels and new clothes for Evy and I. The two of us were pulled into a tent by Bedouin women; they chattered and fluttered around us taking me to a separate bathing room than Evy's. One woman came up to me with robes of light blue and white.

"Hello, my name is Belle." I said to the woman. She was an older woman with her grey black hair covered and the lower half of her face covered as well.

"Hello my dear, I am Jamila; head of the women in this tribe. I believe these will suit you just fine. And I have something extra special for you." She nodded to the others to help me, to my own embarrassment, into the bath of jasmine and myrrh. I was not used to someone else bathing me! Yes, the family estate had servants but I had not been doted on like this since I was a child; I was a bit shy about my body. I sighed as I soaked in the warm water, and rubbed the scented oils into my skin as they poured some onto my hair. It ran down my neck and into the water.

"Thank you so much for doing this for me and my friend, Jamila." I said as she walked back into the room.

"Well we can't have you both running around in you nightgowns, now can we?" She chuckled and helped me rise from the bath. She wrapped me in a white cloth and helped me dry off. "I can understand your embarrassment my lady but I have raised five children on my own after my husband died. It is nothing I have not seen before." She said as she rubbed shea butter into my skin and began to help me dress into the robes she had provided. The dress was a bit on the revealing side. It was white and faded into a light sky blue that was open on the sides of my waist; the long skirt of the dress had a slit up the right side to show my leg. It was a beautiful Egyptian cotton dress with a matching blue shawl; with silver charms on it to go around my shoulders; and a pair of tan brown boots for my feet.

"I have something else for you, my lady." She pulled out a silver bracelet with a pyramid, the eye of Horus, and two kings on it. She placed it around my wrist; it felt right to have it there, like it belonged to me. A feeling of familiarity came over me, but soon it turned to confusion and then, longing. She finished off my look with a silver and white face and head scarf lining my eyes with kohl and painting my lips red. She was ushering me to the front of the tent to meet back up with Evy when I stopped her.

"Wait, why have you been calling me 'my lady'? my name is Belle." I asked her in confusion, for the first time taking notice of her use of the term. She looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"And why should I not call you that…?" She said cryptically and led me outside. I waited as Evy walked up to me, wearing a black dress. Unlike mine hers was more fashioned to the younger Bedouin women's clothing.

"You look wonderful Evelyn." I grasped her hands.

"You look beautiful as well, Belle, dear." We thanked the women for their kindness and walked away to meet the men of the group. Before we got too far, Jamila stopped me again and whispered into my ear.

"Beware what lies beneath the sand…" I pulled back in shock. She knew! With a nod she walked away and I hurried to catch up with Evy. When Jon and Rick met us with the five camels, I smiled knowingly as Rick and Evy stared at one another.

We climbed onto our camels and slowly made our way into the desert.

"Never did like camels. Filthy buggers. They smell, they bite, they spit, disgusting." Jonathan ranted on about the camels we had bought. I grimaced lightly as the warden spit at the ground and took another bite of his chicken.

"I think they're adorable." Evy said as she petted the top of her camels head. I personally preferred horses but camels are very smart creatures. Suddenly the warden began singing a vulgar song in Arabic; I turned my attention to the desert ahead. _'So, back to Hamunaptra I go huh? I had hoped to never see that god forsaken place again.' _

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><p>Day turned into night; night into day; day into night; night into day and into night once more. It was evening and the desert was cold; the warden snored loudly as we continued to trek through the desert. I was awakened by the neigh of a faraway horse. I looked up at the cliffs along with Rick to see men on horses. I became wary, knowing who they were and what their purpose was. The next day, as the sun started rising, we came upon the other group of the Americans and the Egyptologist.<p>

"Good morning, my friend." Beni said as he made his way closer to us with his camel. The Americans rode on top of horses.

"What the hell we doin'?" Daniels asked in confusion.

"Patience, my good barat'm. Patience." Beni said, trying to pacify him.

"Remember our bet, O'Connell. First one to the city, 500 cash bucks." Henderson said to rick before turning to Beni. "A hundred of them bucks are yours if you help us win that bet."

"Oh, my pleasure. Hey O'Connell! Nice camel." Beni said, taunting Rick, who continued to ignore him, and looking out at the vast desert before us.

"Get ready for it." O'Connell said.

"For what?" Evy asked.

"We're about to be shown the way." We all looked out towards the desert to see the sun rise over the horizon, suddenly in a mirage-like image the City of the Dead appeared; getting different reactions from everyone.

"Will ya look at that?"

"Can you believe it?"

"Hamunaptra."

"Here we go again."

'_You can say that again.' _I think with dread as the city becomes compete and like a gun going off we all shoot off towards the city with a yell.I spurred my camel into a run as well, right behind Evy. I looked back to see Rick toss Beni off his camel, and laugh as Evy and Rick speed off into the city first, wining the bet.

We set up camp on the far side of the city. I helped Evy and Jon clean some of the ancient Egyptian mirrors that we would use for light when we went underground. Evy was explaining things to the group as we set up.

"That's a statue of Anubis. Its legs go deep underground. According to Bembridge scholars, that's where we'll find a secret compartment containing the golden Book of Amun-Ra. Ah Jonathan, you're meant to catch the sun with that." Evelyn said as Jon turned it the wrong way. I watched as Rick walked up to Evy with a small tool kit. I shook my head with a smile; this was getting interesting.

"So, uh, what are these old mirrors for?"

"Ancient mirrors. It's an ancient Egyptian trick. You'll see." Evy answered him.

"Uh, here, this is for, uh, you." He handed her the tool kit. "Go ahead. It's something I borrowed off our American brethren. I thought you might like it—you might need it for when you're, uh—uh, yeah." He made a digging motion and walked away glaring at the warden as he walked by. "What are you lookin' at?"

I came up to Evy and bumped shoulders with her smiling. "Someone likes you." I teased as she looked at the tools in her hand she rolled her eyes at me and looked up at Rick with a gentle smile. We made our way to the hole we had dug early, heading underground.

"Hey! Look for bugs. I hate bugs." The warden said as we slowly one by one made our way down the rope going under the sand and earth to stand in a darkened room.

"Do you realize that we're standing inside a room no one has entered in over 3,000 years?" Evy said handing torches to Rick and me to light.

"Whoa! What is that god-awful stench?" I pointed up at the warden who was coming down the rope. "Oh." Evy walked over to an ancient mirror and brushed the cobwebs off of it and turned it to reflect the light from our mirrors up outside.

"And then there was… light."

"Hey, that is a neat trick."

"Oh, my God. It's a sah-netjer." I said looking around the room.

"Huh?" O'Connell asked confused.

"A preparation room." I replied.

"Preparation for what?" He asked again not knowing what I was talking about.

"For entering the afterlife." Evy said in a spooky voice.

"Mummies, my good son. This is where they made the mummies." Jon said carrying my torch as Rick carried the other. We were slowly making our way down the hallways and corridors of the city when we heard loud skittering sounds.

"What was that?" Jonathan asked as it faded away.

"Sounds like bugs." Rick said

"What?"

"He said bugs." Evy said answering the warden's question.

"What do you mean, bugs? I hate bugs."

I giggle lightly at their treatment of the smelly man. Although I couldn't blame him; something about this place unsettled me. We wandered a bit more until we came upon an open chamber where the god Anubis's legs shown deep in the ground.

"The legs of Anubis." Evy whispered. "The secret compartment should be hidden somewhere inside here." Suddenly there was a roar and a moaning sound like faint whispers on the wind. We spun around and looked around the room but found nothing. It was getting closer; Rick backed us up against the wall with guns cocked and ready. As one with a yell we all jumped out in front of the surprised group of Americans and Beni all holding guns at one another.

"You scared the bejesus out of us, O'Connell." Henderson said as we all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Likewise." He replied uncocking his gun.

"Hey, that's my tool kit." Burns said with a step forward.

"I don't think so." Rick says as they all go back on the defensive side with guns raised.

"Ok. Perhaps I was mistaken." He slowly backed away and the guns were slowly lowered once more.

"Well. Have a nice day, gentlemen. We have a lot of work to be getting along with." Evy said trying to calm things down a bit.

"Push off! This is our dig site." The British Egyptologist said, snotty like.

"We got here first." She sneered back at him. I shook my head this was not going to end well. The guns were back up again.

"This here's our statue, friend." Daniels said, with his gun pointed at O'Connell.

"I don't see your name written on it… pal." I noticed Evy kick some small stones down a crack in the ground, and she looked over at me with a nod.

"Yes, well, there's only five of you… and 15 of me. Your odds are not so great, O'Connell." Beni boasted.

"I've had worse."

"Yeah, me too." We all looked toward Jonathan, who gave an 'I have' look, before Evy walked in between the groups.

"Oh, look, for goodness' sake, let's be nice, children. If we're going to play together, we must learn to share." She said, pushing their guns down. "There are other places to dig." She added, placing a hand on Ricks arm as he un-cocked his gun. We made our way from the site leaving back to the room we were in before.

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><p>"According to these hieroglyphics, we're underneath the statue. We should come up right between his legs." Evy said while picking at the ceiling with a small dirt shovel.<p>

"And when those damn Yanks go to sleep- No offense—

Jon said to Rick. "None taken"

"We'll dig our way up and steal that book right out from under them."

"Are you sure we can find this secret compartment?" Rick asked, taking a pickaxe to the ceiling.

"Oh, yes, if those beastly Americans haven't beaten us to it. No offense."

"None taken"

"Where'd our smelly little friend get to?" Jon asked me, handing me the sledge hammer.

"Don't ask me, I'm actually glad he's out of the room. The air is a lot fresher now."

Not too long after, we stopped for a break with Jon playing a mock game of golf and Evy and I started to explain the mummification process to Rick.

"So let me get this straight. They ripped out your guts and stuffed them in jars." O'Connell says with a slightly disgusted and weirded-out face.

"They'd take out your heart as well. Oh and you know how they took out your brains?"

"Evy, I don't think we need to know this." Jon pointed out, hitting another rock.

"But it's fascinating!" I replied.

"They'd take a sharp, red-hot poker, stick it up your nose, scramble things about a bit and then rip it all out through your nostrils."

"Ow that's gotta hurt."

"It's called mummification. You'll be dead when they do this." I giggled at Rick's expression.

"For the record, if I don't make it out of here alive, don't put me down for mummification."

"Likewise" Jon put forth, aiming one more rock at the ceiling, hitting ceiling with the pickaxe, causing something large to crash down right in front of Evy, Rick, and I. As the dust cleared we looked at the object in the center of the room.

"Oh, my God. It's a—it's a sarcophagus. Buried at the base of Anubis. He must have been someone of great importance. Or he did something very naughty." Evy exclaimed picking up a brush to brush the sand off the cartouche. I began to feel a cold chill go down my spine. Something wasn't right.

"Well, who is it?" We were all eager to know. Well some of us.

"'He That Shall Not Be Named.'" I read out slowly. Something was most definitely wrong. Rick blew away the sand from a star shaped lock with a scarab in the middle.

"This looks like some sort of lock."

"Well, whoever's in here sure wasn't getting out."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"But, why would you need to lock a sarcophagus?" I whispered quietly.

"It'd take us a month to crack into this thing without a key."

"A key? A key! A key! Now that's what he was talking about!"

"Who?"

"The man on the barge; the one with the hook he was looking for a key." Evy said, pulling out the puzzle box from her bag. My eyes widen _'a key…'_

"Hey, that's mine." Jon complained, as she opened it and put it in the marking on the coffin. The pieces fit together perfectly, like a puzzle. Suddenly there was loud screaming down the hall outside the chamber. We ran out of the room to see the warden holding his head and, screaming, he ran past us and straight into a wall, head first, then falling to the ground. He became quiet and still. All we could do was stare in shock. Something is not right here at all.

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><p><strong>Word Count: 2,693<strong>

**Wow this was long. Well I hope you enjoyed it. Please review until next time…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


	19. Chapter 17

**Hi guys sorry for the long wait, life got in the way again! Here's a long chapter for you. I have finally posted the first chapter to my Kaleido Star fanfic and its Leon/OC go check it out! Review please. They make the creative juices flow! Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers and to those that favorite and follow me; I really love you guys. Also thank you again to Emilie Bay for being such a wonderful beta-reader! I love you! Hugs! **

**9/3/2014**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy nor will I ever own it.**

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><p><strong>~ Chapter 17 – The Mummy and The Medjai ~<strong>

**Ardeth**

"Keep a close eye on them until tonight." Ardeth said to his second in command, Laham, as he walked to his horse and rode out of the Medjai camp. The woman that they had saved three years ago was with the British woman's group, and it angered him that she would bring them to that forbidden place after what happened to her there. He silently made his way to the group's camp site and dismounted, looking around to see if anyone was lingering about that could catch him entering into the French woman's tent. He hoped that Laham was keeping a good eye out, he did not want any surprises at that moment. The tent was dark, the only light coming from the moonlight through the tent flap. Little bits of pottery and ancient scrolls lay about on the small table of the tent. The blue bedroll was tucked away in the far corner and a bag sat near the tent flap. Seeing so few things in the tent and little to no personal possessions made it difficult to tell about the woman that he saved; if she had changed or stayed the same in these three short years. He quietly left the tent and made his way back to his horse, there was nothing of importance in the tent and he needed to be ready for the midnight raid tonight. As he swiftly made his way back to the Medjai camp he thought back to that day three years before. Belle's fighting skills were like those of the ancient warriors in Pharaoh's army. She was fierce like Sekhmet and had the grace and beauty of Hathor. She had hidden strength and power in Isis likeness. The woman was a complete mystery to him. He knew little to nothing about her and yet his heart raced and stomach tightened at the thought of her. Casting those thoughts to the depths of his mind, he arrived at the camp and after greeting the watchmen with a nod and telling Laham to follow him; he entered his tent and walked over to the small desk where a map of the valley was displayed. They both sat down on the pillows in front of the low table. The Chieftain rubbed his chin as he looked at the map, deep in thought. He was pulled out of his musings by Laham clearing his throat.

"Was there something you wanted to speak with me about my lord?" His deep green eyes shined in the dim firelight of the tent.

"Laham, the woman that we saved three years ago is with the British group that entered the city. It was dangerous for her to be there before but now the danger is far worse and still she follows them to that dark place. It angers me that our duty to protect Hamunaptra has been met with violence time and time again. It worries me that this time we may not be able to drive them out and that they will unknowingly wake the Creature." Ardeth's eyes darkened at the thought of the priest awakening and becoming a plague upon the land. He was starting to grow weary of the burden passed down to him from his father. Laham remained silent for a few moments before speaking to his Chieftain.

"My Lord, don't doubt our loyalty or faith in you for you are a strong leader. And though young; you are wise beyond your years. We will fight with you to the very end should the Creature ever arise. As for the woman, I have a feeling she was dragged along into this little adventure of theirs. We can only hope that our actions tonight will persuade them to leave the city." And with that Laham stood bowing to his Chieftain and exited the tent to prepare for the raid; leaving the younger man to his thoughts.

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><p><strong>Belle's POV<strong>

"What do you suppose killed him?" Evy asked as we sat around the camp fire that evening, after witnessing the death of the warden. My mind had been wandering on my memories to the first time I 'visited' this place.

"Did you ever see him eat?" Jonathan said trying to lighten the situation. O'Connell came back to our side of the camp and sat down next to Evy.

"Seems the Americans had a little misadventure of their own today, three of their diggers were killed."

"How…?" Evy asked shocked at so many deaths in one day.

"Salt acid. Pressurized salt acid. Some kind of ancient booby-trap."

"Maybe this place really is cursed." Jon said right before a strong gust of wind flickered the fire low in the pit. A silence came over us as Jonathan and O'Connell shared a nervous look.

"Oh for goodness sakes you three," Evy laughed.

"What you don't believe in curses, huh?" Rick said as he went back to cleaning his gun.

"No. I believe if I can see it and I can touch it then it's real. That's what I believe." Evy replied, gazing at the fire.

"Curses are very real Evy." I warned her against taking them lightly. O'Connell cocked his rifle and voiced his opinion on the matter.

"I believe in being prepared."

"Let's see what our friend the warden believed in. Shall we?" Jonathan said reaching for the brown bag the warden was carrying with him when he died. An eerie silence hanged in the air, as if something lied in waiting, while he rustled through the bag. He pulled his hand back out with a cry, startling us and causing Evy to scream as Rick pointed his gun at the bag.

"Oh my God what is it?!"

"A broken bottle. Glenlivet. Twelve years old!" Jon said, pulling out the bottle of whiskey and tossing the bag away. "Well, he may have been a stinky fellow, but he had good taste." I rolled my eyes at Jonathan's carefree nature and looked back at the fire with a small smile on my face.

Suddenly we heard horses whinnying and hoof beats in the sand entering the city toward our camps. O'Connell stood up abruptly, handing off the rifle in his hands to Evy.

"Take this. Stay here." He said, and quickly went to investigate. Evy moved to catch up with him.

"No, wait, wait! Wait for me. Wait!"

"Evy!" I called, starting to go after her.

"Excuse me, but didn't the man just say "stay here"? Evy!" Jon yelled running after us. My heart pounded as I got closer to the chaos of men dressed in black, riding their horses into the city. Loud whooping and yelling followed as they bounded over rock and made their way closer to us, setting fire to the tents and killing the diggers. I ducked down and hid behind a column as they rode through. Gunfire soon followed as the Americans jumped awake and began trying to defend themselves. These men looked like the men that saved me from this place before; why are they attacking us? I heard a horse and a man yelling from my right, so I turned around fast and ducked under his sword. I looked up to find that Rick had shot him off his horse. I gave a quick nod and looked around for Evy. Suddenly a rider on a black stallion came heading for Rick and I, already chasing Jon, sword high in the air. Seeing Jon in trouble, Rick forewent his guns and jumped off the pillar onto the back of the horse, knocking the man off. They wrestled a bit before coming to a standstill. The small scuffle had caused the veil to fall from the man's face revealing a very familiar person.

"Ardeth…" I whispered softly, not expecting to see him again after three years. Rick shot the scimitar out of Ardeth's hands but was soon distracted by a nearby rider. After shooting him he turned back to Ardeth only to have his gun knocked away from him. I did not notice the warrior come up behind me until he had his sword at my neck. I stood stiff as a board and pulled my neck back from the blade, but his hold only tightened. I looked towards Rick to see him locking eyes with Ardeth with a stick of dynamite in his hand.

"Enough! Yallah!" Ardeth's strong voice carried over the field. "We will shed no more blood, but you must leave. Leave this place or die." He nodded his head in my direction and I was released from the man's grasp. I stumbled slightly, and made my way over to O'Connell. I looked towards Ardeth; he did not return my gaze.

"You have one day." A rider brought Ardeth his horse and he mounted, turning to look back at us one last time. We locked eyes this time, his gaze burned and his brow was set in a frown. I caught a look of betrayal in his eye.

"Yallah! Nimshi!" He called, turning his men about and leaving the city. Rick defused the dynamite and helped Evy up from the sand.

"See, that proves it. Old Seti's fortune's got to be under this sand." Daniels said, looking out after the long gone riders.

"For them to protect it like this, you know there's treasure down there." Henderson added.

"No, these men are desert people. They value water, not gold." Rick interjected, holding Evy close to his side. I simply started back to our side of the camp.

"You know, uh maybe just at night, we could, uh, combine forces, hmm?" Burns nervously asked, still some shaving cream on his face. O'Connell gave him a cool look and led Evy back to camp, followed by Jon, the bottle of whiskey tightly held in his grasp.

Later that night, a drunk Evelyn tried to learn how to punch someone from a laughing Rick; and I couldn't help but giggle at the whole spectacle.

"Hey, tough stuff, try a right hook. Ball up your fist and put it— put it up like that." He fixed her hand and patted his palm saying. "And then mean it. Hit it right here."

"I mean it!" Evy yelled, throwing the punch and falling into Ricks arms with giggles. I burst into laughter alongside her.

"Okay, it's time for another drink." I tried to reach for the bottle before she could get to it, but was brushed aside. She just popped the cork and took a swig.

"Unlike my brother, sir… I know when to say no." She took a deep drink from the bottle.

"Uh-huh. And unlike your brother, miss you, I just don't get."

"Ah. I know. You're wondering… what is a place like me doing in a girl like this." I smiled stroking the fire again. She would regret the drinking in the morning.

"Yeah, something like that."

"Egypt is in my blood. You see, my—my father was a very, very famous explorer and he loved Egypt so much he married my mother, who was an Egyptian and quite an adventurer herself." Evy said showing him her locket with a photo of her parents. My smile faded away as I thought of my parents and my grandfather. The pain was still too great to bear sometimes when they came to mind. I missed them so much. I fiddled with my necklace, leaving the two alone and going into my tent for some much needed sleep.

* * *

><p>Morning came quickly and we re-entered the chamber. Evy seemed to recover quickly from her hangover as we neared the sarcophagus, it having been removed from its stone coffin. Rick and Jon propped it up against the far wall; I stood to the side a little, slightly weary of the thing. It left a sour taste in my mouth and I felt chills just being near it.<p>

"Oh, I've dreamt about this since I was a little girl." Evy exclaimed, smiling brightly and looking over the inner coffin.

"You dream about dead guys?" Rick asked, a bit weirded out.

"Look, his sacred spells have been chiseled off. This man must have been condemned not only in this life but in the next."

"Tough break." Rick and Jonathan shared a look as Jon begins to open the coffin with the key.

"Yeah, I'm all tears. Now, let's see who's inside, shall we?" He grunted as they pulled at the lid to open the coffin. Evy waited in anticipation, but chills were going down my back and spreading through my body, and the stone at my neck warmed up. With a great pull the lid popped off and the body inside lunged forward. We all screamed at the suddenness of it all.

"Oh, my God, I hate it when these things do that." Evy exclaimed, walking closer to the mummy.

"Is he supposed to look like that?"

"No, I've never seen a mummy look like this before. He's still—still-"

"Juicy."

"Yes. He must be more than 3,000 years old and, well, it looks as if he's still… decomposing." She was right, it looked as if he was slowly rotting before my eyes. His jaw was twisted open at a weird angle, like a silent scream… and a hole could be seen where his brain somewhat remained, a very odd mummy indeed.

"Hey, look at that. What do you make of this?" Rick asked, looking down at the lid of the coffin where long, deep carvings were etched into the wood.

"My God, these marks were made with… fingernails. This man was buried alive. And he left a message: "Death is only the beginning." I could do nothing but stare at the mummy's face, a deep fear creeping into my heart.

Day turned into night and we were back at camp sitting around a big fire with the Americans.

"Say, O'Connell, what do you think these babies will fetch back home?" Gloated Henderson, holding a gold-and-jewel encrusted canopic jar for us to see.

"We hear you boys found yourselves a nice, gooey mummy. Congratulations'." Burns said, rubbing his jar with a cloth.

"If you dry that fella out, you might be able to sell him for firewood." Daniels teased, laughing at us.

"You do know that you are holding the organs of a dead person in your hands don't you?" I casually asked them, not even looking up from my book. They shut up.

"Look what I found!" Evy said loudly, walking over to us. She had been still in the chamber examining the mummy.

"You're in her seat." Rick said to Beni, who laughed weakly but chose to remain.

"Now" Rick demanded, and Beni moved with his tail tucked between his legs.

"Scarab skeletons, flesh eaters. I found them inside our friend's coffin. They can stay alive for years feasting on the flesh of a corpse. Unfortunately for our friend, he was still _alive _when they started eating him."

"So somebody threw these in with our guy, and then they slowly ate him alive?" Rick asked, skeptical about the whole thing.

"Very slowly." Evy laughed.

"Well he certainly wasn't a popular fellow when they planted him was he." Jon teased.

"Well, he probably got a little too frisky with the pharaoh's daughter." Rick joked. I shook my head at the two of them.

"Well, according to my readings our friend suffered the Hom-Dai, the worst of all ancient Egyptian curses one reserved only for the most evil of blasphemers. But in all of my research, I've never heard of this curse having actually been performed." Evy explained

"That bad, huh?" Rick asked.

"Yes, well, they—they never used it because they feared it so. It's written that if a victim of the Hom-Dai should ever arise he would bring with him the ten plagues of Egypt." The group was silent after that and then parted ways for the night. I awoke later that evening to Evy sneaking back into camp with a black book.

"That's called stealing you know." Rick called, waking from his light doze.

"According to you and my brother… it's called borrowing." I watched her grab the key from Jon's pocket and sit down with the book on her lap. I was wide awake now and chills were all over me again, not from the cool desert air.

"I thought the Book of Amun-Ra was made out of gold."

"It is made out of gold. This isn't the book of Amun-Ra. This is something else. I think this may be the Book of the Dead." I sat up and grasped the stone at my neck, feeling my stomach drop at her words.

"The Book of the Dead? Are you sure you want to be playing around with this thing?" Rick warned as Evy opened the key, in order to open the book.

"It's just a book. No harm ever came from… reading a book." The book clicked as the lock turned, and she opened it. A gust of wind passed through the camp. I could feel the stone in my hand grow warm.

"That happens a lot around here. So what's it say?"

"Evy, wait…" I started to say as she read from the book. The stone in my hand became scorching hot all of a sudden, and I pulled it from my neck so as not to burn myself with it. A sharp pain went through my heart and I doubled over, breathing heavily with each of her words. Neither of them even noticed, as she continued to read.

"'Amun-Ra, Amun-Dai.' It speaks of the night and of the day." She was cut off by a yell. The pain stopped.

"No! You must not read from the book!" The Egyptologist yelled. The wind howled loudly and the rest of the camp was awakened at the raised voices. The camels groaned loudly, unsettled by a far off buzzing sound that made its way toward the city. Suddenly, a moving black cloud of locust came into sight.

"Run!" Rick yelled, out taking Evy's hand. We all took off into the underground chambers of the lost city.

"Where the hell did they come from?" Henderson shouted, running down a corridor.

"I ain't waitin' around to find out." Daniels called back. Their voices faded as we became separated from their group. We continued to run, but had to stop short of a growing mound of sand and the rumbling of the corridor. We looked on as the mound grew and suddenly burst, sending scarabs running about.

"Scarabs!" Evy screamed.

"Run, Evy, Belle!" Jonathan grabbed Evy's hand and ran.

"Go, go, go! Run" Rick yelled, throwing the torch at the flesh eaters and running after us, away from the bugs, shooting at them as he went. We turned the corner into another room, with Evy and I jumping to one side and Jon and Rick jumping on to the pillar on the other side. We watched as the scarabs scurried past us, up the walking ramp and through another hall. I let my back rest against the wall with a sigh… but suddenly the wall was no longer there and both Evy and I fell through a short a tunnel and into another room. It wass dark and very little moonlight came from a shaft on the ceiling. We shook the sand from our hair and clothes, moving to stand, when we heard a soft moan of pain. Turning to the sound we found Mr. Burns standing in the shaft of light with his back turned to us. Evy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank goodness. It's you Mr. Burns; I was starting to get scared. We lost everyone…" Her voice faded and gave way to a scream when he turned around. I could only stare in horror. Both of his eyes were missing, the sockets empty and red, and he let out another painful moan. We both backed away and I turned when I heard Evy scream again. There, behind us, stood the mummy. The same mummy we had found at the feet of Anubis; looking at us with the eyes he had stolen from Mr. Burns.

My voice was lost and a my veins ran cold with fear as we backed up against a wall. Evy grabbed onto my arm and we both tried to shrink away from the approaching corpse. He gazed briefly in my direction, then turned his gaze to Evy.

"_Anck-su-namun?"_ It stepped forward, - the sand seemed to swirl and dance around his flaking skeletal legs. Evelyn tried to back away a bit more, pulling me with her, and looked at Burns for help.

"Please… help us, please…" She whispered in his direction. Burns opened his mouth, but could only gurgle and moan. His tongue was also missing. I could only fear that what had happened to him would happen to us. The mummy opened his mouth to reveal a fresh tongue behind rotting teeth.

"_Kadeesh pharos, Anck-su-namun." _Evy was shivering in fear as he reached out towards her. I don't know what compelled me to do so, but I took a defensive stance in front of her; spreading my arms out to the sides, my body hiding hers.

"_You will not touch her!" _The words slipped from my lips so easily in the ancient tongue that it surprised both Evy and I. The mummy started to reply when suddenly O'Connell and everyone else came running in to the room.

"Would you two quite playing around! Let's get outta here!" Rick yelled, pulling at us, but he noticed our gazes pointing elsewhere. Following our eyes he jumped in fright, seeing the mummy as it made its way towards us.

"Whoa!"

The mummy then opened its mouth, stretching its jaw to an inhuman size and let out a horrific shriek. Rick looked back in shock and then shrieked right back at it, then proceeding to blast it with his shotgun.

A piece of its rib cage was blown away. We fled from the room making our way to the surface, it was only when we arrived to the door leading outside that I realized that Mr. Burns was left there with that thing. I wanted to go back but as soon as we hit the surface we were met with guns to our face.

We raised our hands in surrender; the same men that had attacked our camp the night before were standing before me now. Ardeth Bay stepped out from the group of men telling them to lower their guns. His deep brown eyes found mine and a softer gaze is but a flash before they became hard once more.

"I told you to leave or die, you refused, and now you may have killed us all. For you have unleashed the creature that we have feared for more than four thousand years" Ardeth's voice was cold and filled with anger. I winced, he believed that I had had a hand in this; though I couldn't blame him… I hadn't done a great job of stopping them either.

"Relax, I got him." Rick said, shouldering his gun.

"No mortal weapons can kill this creature! He is not of this world." Ardeth said, causing a hush to go over the group. We gasped, watching two warriors carry Mr. Burns over to us. He moaned in pain, and looked around with vacant sockets.

"You Bastards!" Daniels yelled.

"What did you do to him!?" Henderson asked, glaring at Ardeth.

"We saved him! We saved him before the creature could finish his work. Now leave, all of you, quickly, before he finishes you all." He motioned for his men to head into the tomb. "We must now hunt him down, and try and find a way to kill him, before he consumes the earth. Allah be with us." He started to follow his men but was stopped by Rick.

"I told ya, I already got him." He says trying to convince himself.

"Know this, this creature is the bringer of death. He will never eat, he will never sleep, he will never stop." Ardeth brushed past him and stopped again, this time behind me, his back to me. "You would come back to this place after what happened to you here. Why? Are you after the riches like the Americans or is it something else? What compelled you to come back to this place?" His voice was hard and distant. I stayed silent for a heartbeat, because my anger at his accusations was growing. With a heavy sigh I answer.

"Just so you know, I did try to stop them. I just didn't know this would happen until it was too late to do anything" With that I walked away with our group leaving him to follow the Creature. I wanted to be as far away from him and this accursed city as possible, and as fast as possible as well. The last thing I heard before the city faded away was a distant roar of the angered mummy. We were in serious trouble.

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><p><strong>Word Count: 4,316<strong>

**Whoa! long chapter, hope you liked it. Please leave your comments and questions in the box below and as always favorite and review! until next time…**

**DovieDM-1991-Promised Wings signing out!**


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